Whiskey Founders Stories
Table of Contents (listed in Section order below)
Many of the names below will be found on your favorite bourbon label or whiskey bottle even today. This page is dedicated to the men or women who spent their entire lives working in or improving on the Bourbon or Whiskey industry in North America. In order to have made this list, the person must have had some significant impact on either their Company, their Distillery or the Industry as a whole.
For a Comprehensive List of every person featured in the Whiskey Founders Section simply scroll down this page. This list is placed in order by Distillery size and then by Region.
For a list of the members of the Whiskey Founders Committee the contributors to this section of the Whiskey University website see the bottom of this page. Colonel Craig Duncan, President and Daniel Snyder, Chairman.
Below are the Three Major Types of Whiskey Founders followed by the Thirteen Major Distilleries’ Founders are listed in Size Order, they are followed by and then followed by Six Geographic Areas of Craft Whiskey Founders
Jim Beam Founders
Heaven Hill Founders
Buffalo Trace Founders
Brown-Forman Founders
Jack Daniel’s Founders
Wild Turkey Founders
Maker’s Mark Founders
Four Roses Founders
Diageo-Bulleit Founders
Barton 1792 Founders
M.G.P./LuxCo Founders
Willett Founders
Bardstown Bourbon Founders
Tennessee Whiskey Founders
Craft Founders Western U. S.
Women in Whiskey Founders
Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Founders
Craft Founders Bourbon Capital
Craft Founders Bluegrass
Craft Founders Midwest U. S.
Canadian Whisky Founders
Craft Founders Northeast U. S.
Whiskey Founders Committee
Craft Founders Whiskey Row
Craft Founders Southeast U. S.
Tennessee Whiskey Founders
Below is a list and links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Tennessee Whiskey Industry. This section highlights those individuals that have added great value to the industry and Whiskey University considers them an integral part of the birth and/or rapid expansion of Tennessee Whiskey throughout the world. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole. Tennessee Whiskey has been its own whiskey category for years but the requirements of a Tennessee Whiskey weren’t defined by statute until May of 2013.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
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10
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21
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25
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Company Distilling
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
Ole Smoky
Corsair Distillery
Nearest Green Distillery
Old Dominick Distillery
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
Sugarlands Distilling Company
Nearest Green Distillery
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
14
15
16
17
22
18
19
20
Nelson’s GreenBrier Distillery
Nelson’s GreenBrier Distillery
Nelson’s GreenBrier Distillery
Chattanooga Whiskey
Prichard’s Distillery
George Dickle Distillery
Nearest Green Distillery
Corsair Distillery
PostModern Spirits
Tennessee Distilling Group
Old Dominick Distillery
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
Whiskey University
Leiper’s Fork Distillery
Gate 11 Distillery
13
Short Mountain Distillery
Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Founders
Below is a list and links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Mid-Atlantic Rye Whiskey Industry. This section highlights those individuals that have added great value to the industry and Whiskey University considers them an integral part of the birth and/or rapid expansion of Rye Whiskey throughout the world. These Whiskey Founders and are generally located within the Mid-Atlantic States of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole. Rye Whiskey was declared the “Official Spirit of the State of Maryland” in 2023 by the State General Assembly and Governor Wes Moore.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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6
1
2
4
5
7
8
9
13
14
15
17
18
19
Baltimore Spirits Company
McClintock Distilling
Mount Vernon of Baltimore
Catoctin Creek Distillery
Sagamore Spirit
Berkeley Plantation
Tobacco Barn Distillery
S. T. Suit Bourbon
Roxbury Distilling Company
Sherwood Distilling Company
Smooth Ambler Spirits
Sagamore Spirit
Mount Vernon Distillery
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21
Sherwood Distillery
Wigle Whiskey
Lyon/Windon Distilling Comp
Gray Wolf Spirits
10
Louthan Distilling
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16
Green Valley Distillery
Dad’s Hat Distillery
Tenth Ward Distilling Company
12
Canadian Whisky Founders
Below is a list and links to Whiskey Founders that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Canadian Whisky Industry. This section highlights those individuals that have added great value to the industry and Whiskey University considers them an integral part of the birth and/or rapid expansion of Canadian Whisky throughout the world. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
6
7
8
9
10
Hiram Walker Distillery Limited
Joseph Seagram & Sons
Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd.
J. P. Wiser & Son Distillery
H. Corby Distillery Limited
Gooderham & Worts
Crown Royal Distillery
Crown Royal Distillery
1
2
3
4
5
Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd.
Forty Creek Distillery
Jack Daniel’s Founders
Jack Daniel's is the most popular brand of whiskey in the world. The Jack Daniel's Distillery located in Lynchburg, Tennessee produces many brands, labels and variations of Tennessee Whiskey or other North American whiskey. Jack Daniel's brands are owned by Brown-Forman Corporation, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The founder of Jack Daniel's was Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel (1848-1911) and according to the distillery he was born in 1850, but they say his exact birthday is unknown
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
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Jim Beam Founders
The Beam family has been producing whiskey since 1795 although it was interrupted by Prohibition. Eight generations and direct line descendants of founder Jacob Beam have been involved in whiskey production for the company that makes Jim Beam. The eight generations and many branches off of the main Beam tree have earned the reputation as "America's First Family of Bourbon."
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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10
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13
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Heaven Hill Founders
Heaven Hill Brands is an American family-owned and operated distillery company headquartered in the Bourbon Capital of the world, Bardstown, Kentucky. It is the second-largest bourbon distiller with the second largest inventory in the world. This Founders page takes a deep look into Heaven Hill's two most influential families; the Shapiras and the Beams. The five Shapira brothers and their decedents have run the business side of things so successful that the name Heaven Hill is recognized and consumed all over the world. The Beam family ran the distilling or whiskey production side of Heaven Hill.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
2
3
4
17
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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15
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Buffalo Trace Founders
The Buffalo Trace Distillery distillery is located on the Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky in what was formerly Bourbon County (now Franklin County). It has been well known in the past under several other names like the George T. Stagg Distillery or the O.F.C. (Old Fire & Copper) Distillery. The distillery makes the largest number of whiskies in the world spanning some 98 different labels, brands or variations. Unlike other distilleries the Founders from Buffalo Trace all hail from different families and not the same clan or two.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
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3
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Brown-Forman Founders
The Brown-Forman Corporation, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky may be the fourth largest Bourbon Distiller in the world but it is by far the largest Whiskey, wine and distilled spirit maker in North America. In fact, the company produces over 80 brands, labels and variations of Bourbon and North American whiskey. Some of the name brand lines that are produced by one of four distilleries include the world's best selling-whiskey Jack Daniels as well as Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Early Times, Canadian Mist and Collingwood.
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Wild Turkey Founders
The Wild Turkey Distillery is part of the international mega-corporation Campari America that produces many, labels and variations of North American whiskey including bourbon, its biggest distillery is still in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The company and its distillery is now the sixth largest producer of Bourbon and North American whiskies in the world. Wild Turkey’s Founders are dominated by two families in the Ripy family and the Russell family.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
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7
13
14
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9
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Maker’s Mark Founders
Maker's Mark is the fifth most popular a brand of bourbon whiskey in the world. The Maker's Mark Distillery is located in Loretto, Kentucky and produces many brands, labels and variations of Bourbon. Maker's Mark is owned by Beam Suntory, Inc. Maker’s Mark dates back to 1958 but its history revolves around one family long, long before that. The Samuels family is indelibly weaved through out the brand’s very being.
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
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1
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13
Bardstown Bourbon Company Founders
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7
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9
1
2
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5
Four Roses Founders
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1
2
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4
6
7
M. G. P. / LuxCo Founders
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9
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13
5
1
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4
6
7
12
5
1
2
3
4
Barton/1792 Founders
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7
Willett Founders
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5
6
1
2
3
Craft Founders
Bourbon Capital
Bardstown Bourbon Company
Preservation
Kentucky Owl
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
Limestone Branch
Limestone Branch
Limestone Branch
Limestone Branch
Limestone Branch
Craft Founders
Bluegrass Region
Castle & Key
Wilderness Trail
James E. Pepper
Town Branch
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7
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1
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5
Town Branch
Labot & Graham
Labrot & Graham
Woodford Reserve
Wilderness Trail
Angels Envy
Craft Founders
Whiskey Row
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Peerless
Peerless
Kentucky Artisan
T.B.A.
T.B.A.
Stizel Weller
Stizel Weller
Michter’s
Rabbit Hole
Jefferson’s
Jefferson’s
Heaven Hill
Stizel Weller
T.B.A.
T.B.A.
Michter’s
Jeptha Creed
Stizel Weller
Michter‘s
Angels Envy
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7
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9
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12
1
2
3
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5
Angels Envy
Peerless
T.B.A.
6
7
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9
Dad’s Hat
WhistlePig
WhistlePig
Sagamore Spirit
Smooth Ambler
Tuthilltown Spirits
Catoctin Creek
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5
Medium & Craft Distilleries;
Northeastern U. S. States
St. Augustine Distillery
Conecuh Ridge
Medium & Craft Distilleries;
Midwest U. S. States
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Starlight Distillery
T.B.A.
Middle West Spirits
T.B.A.
Weston, MO
T.B.A.
Keeper's Heart
T.B.A.
Cedar Ridge
Hard Truth Distillery
New Riff Distilling
Whisky Acres Distillery
T.B.A.
New Riff Distilling
Koval
T.B.A.
New RiffNew Riff Distilling
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10
Holladay Distillery
New Starlight Distillery
Few Spirits
Wood Hat Spirits
New Riff Distilling
T.B.A.
T.B.A.
Medium & Craft Distilleries;
Western U. S. States
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5
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Wyoming Whiskey
High West Distillery
T.B.A.
T.B.A.
St. George Spirits
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2
3
Clear Creek Distillery
Wyoming Whiskey
T.B.A.
Hotaling & Co.
Women Whiskey Founders
Michter’s Distillery
Willett Distillery
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15
Nelson’s GreenBrier Distillery
Tenth Ward Distilling Company
Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Maker's Mark Distillery
James B. Beam Distilling Co.
Nearest Green Distillery
Michter’s Distillery
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7
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12
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14
Brown-Forman Distillery
1
2
3
4
5
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.
Nearest Green Distillery
Old Dominick Distillery
Castle & Key Distillery
Catoctin Creek Distilling Company