Leonard Riddle

The Quiet Legend of Bourbon’s Golden Age

In the rolling hills of Frankfort, Kentucky, bourbon isn’t just a spirit, it’s a living legacy. Amid that legacy, Leonard Riddle emerged as a steadfast craftsman whose life’s work quietly shaped one of America’s most storied distilleries.

Born in Frankfort in 1939, the son of Leonard and Eunice Hall Riddle carried his bourbon heritage into the heart of Buffalo Trace Distillery. When he was very young, Leonard was sent to live with and care for his ailing grandmother. The kindhearted and compassionate boy did as he was asked without complaint until she passed away. While he cared for his elder, Riddle’s mother worked at what was then the George T. Stagg Distillery (now Buffalo Trace) in the bottling department, while his father was an electrician for National Distillers, now Jim Beam. 

Leonard’s personal relationship with bourbon, however, began in 1964, among the towering wooden barrels, when he joined the Stagg Distillery in the warehouses. There, the sweet, woody aroma of aging whiskey became both his workplace and his calling, though he had come to Stagg merely looking for a position as a pipe fitter. Nevertheless, whether inspecting new barrels, branding them, filling them with the raw spirit, or placing them precisely where they needed to age, Leonard began to study every detail. He hunted for leaks, monitored warehouse temperatures, selected barrels for bottling, and maintained the highest quality controls. Each barrel in his charge bore the invisible stamp of Leonard Riddle’s vigilance and care.

In 2011, the distillery recognized Leonard’s irreplaceable role by dedicating Warehouse L in his honor. Known for its brick structure, five concrete floors, and thick walls, Warehouse L offers a uniquely concentrated aging environment. Leonard championed Warehouse L’s exceptional qualities, calling it his favorite, thereby ensuring that the building became a symbol of devotion to craftsmanship and consistency.

His brotherhood and camaraderie with fellow warehouse worker Ronnie Eddins spanned over forty years. Equal and integral parts of Buffalo Trace’s Experimental Barrel Program, Riddle and Eddins pioneered exploratory techniques by varying the level of char on barrels, investigating twice-barreling, drying staves differently, and even studying the effect of nontraditional woods like French oak. Their early dedication to these processes put Buffalo Trace’s Experimental Whiskey Program on the fast track at a time when non-original techniques were not widely used in traditional distilleries.

Riddle loved the 7- and 12-year Wheated Weller line, though it should come as no surprise that he favored the bourbons from warehouse L, confident that these whiskeys were less harsh because of their barrel positions in “his” warehouse. In all, Leonard Riddle’s tenure at Buffalo Trace extended an unbelievable 56 years, a testament to both Riddle’s commitment and the trust the distillery placed in him. In that unbroken chain of service, he saw bourbon through changing eras, from Prohibition’s distant echoes, through the 80s bourbon glut, and into its modern, explosive resurgence, where mid-level brands from twenty years ago are now allocated unicorns.

Beyond the distillery, Leonard touched his community in countless ways. He served as President of the Ruritan Club, coached Little League baseball for over two decades, and was an active member in bowling communities. He was also honored with the title of Kentucky Colonel for eleven years. Leonard was devoted to his church as well as his family, and was married to Margaret McClain Riddle for many years; together they raised 7 children, 4 boys and 3 girls.

During a 2008 interview with the University of Kentucky, Leonard was asked what he would want to be remembered for at Buffalo Trace. Pondering the tough question for a moment, the hardworking and humble Riddle, then well into his fourth decade with the company, answered, “I want to be remembered where I tried, or contributed to the company as far as work ethic, that complete job, I guess you would say, not wasted time. I guess what I'd want them to remember me by is, ‘He did the best he could while he was here, to the best of his knowledge.’”

Leonard passed away on November 25, 2020, at the age of 81. His legacy, however, extends further; in every barrel he helped guide, every experiment he embraced, and every colleague he mentored. Though his presence is no longer physical, the impact of his work continues to mature with each passing year, just like the bourbon that rests in “his” warehouse. He remains a quiet legend, a pillar of dedication in an industry built on patience, precision, and pride.

  Contributed by Stuart McEnerney, Meriden, Connecticut

assisted by Tracy McLemore, Whiskey Row Section Editor