A toast now to bourbon.

It means $9 billion for Kentucky.

Kentucky's leaders gathered at the state capitol today to listen to the latest bourbon numbers from the Kentucky Distillers Association.

15 years ago this month, the K.T.

asked Dr. Paul Coombs to study the impact of our signature bourbon distilled spirits industry on the Commonwealth's economy.

The newest findings are that the industry generates more than 23,100 Kentucky jobs, with annual salaries and wages pegged at $1.63 billion.

When you look at total compensation, which includes benefits $2.2 billion, helping our Kentucky families, the credit belongs to the workers of this industry, the people that actually take the risk, that invest the capital, that create the jobs that that are truly changing this industry and benefitting the Commonwealth every single day.

They range from farmers to crude riches to logistics companies, just to name a few.

They are the men and women that work long hours and late nights to lift this industry to new heights and truly create an environment that enables this type of report to be brought to fruition.

There are currently 100 licensed distillers in the state.

They operate there, operated by 84 companies.

And get this, in 42 Kentucky counties.

We have seen, especially over the last several years, the growth of this industry now reaching over a third of Kentucky's counties, adding great economic benefit.

We look at the number of licensed distilleries.

It is five times the number of distilleries the state had.

Then in 2008, when they did that first study.

Since 2008.

We've also seen 135% growth and employment in the industry and 160% growth in wages.

These would be amazing numbers for any industry.

And so we're grateful to the bourbon industry.

Every one involved should be extremely proud of how this industry has positioned itself at the very top of the global spirits trade and continues to lift up so many of our families.

This report proves that Kentucky is the gold standard for bourbon.

We have the purest spring water.

We have an abundance of corn and white oak.

We have four distinct climates that age our whiskey to perfection.

And we have something that very few industries in the world can claim over 200 years of working together for the betterment of the industry and our Commonwealth.

According to the study, there are 12.6 million barrels of bourbon currently aging in the Commonwealth.