Story

Meet the genius

Our quest to create our brand began with his only copy of the family's trusted, 170-year-old recipe. The one the sixth-generation distiller promptly set on fire, of course.

After accidentally burning a set of drapes in the process, Bill experimented with different flavoring grains, searching for a mash bill all his own. To save years of aging time, webaked several loaves of bread with various grain combinations instead of distilling them. His quick thinking not only saved time but also led him to swap out the traditional rye grain that is commonly used in bourbons, for soft, red winter wheat. This replaced the hot bite of rye with the delicate sweetness.

in the family

The flavor stood out from the crowd, so co-founder Mom wanted to ensure the bottle did the same on store shelves. It’s said that Margie is the reason most folks buy their first bottle. The shape of the bottle, look of the label, signature red wax topper and even the name itself are all thanks to Margie.

The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Famer (the first woman involved with a distillery to be inducted, by the way) hand-dipped the first bottles in her kitchen using a home fryer to melt the wax. Margie's fried chicken was never quite the same, and neither was the whisky business. While every sip tastes just like the one before it, no two bottles are exactly alike. Those red tendrils give each bottle its own unique flourish.