Bourbon Makers Bring Distilling Westward

The Barreling Team (L-R): Octavious Smith, Cullen Wiley and Brady Nall.

VISIONARY BOURBON CONNOISSEURS ARE BROADENING THE BASE FOR KENTUCKY DISTILLING

by SUSIE FENWICK

LLLOYD JONES, PRESIDENT and CEO, of Jackson Purchase Distillery, traveled the world and found a unique opportunity within miles of where he grew up in Fulton, KY. With a distinguished shock of white hair and a gentile manner, the Kentucky gentleman loves a good Kentucky bourbon and fast race horses thundering down Churchill Down’s homestretch.

Far from Kentucky’s acclaimed Golden Triangle and off the beaten Bourbon trail, Jackson Purchase Distillery is producing whiskey on its way to becoming fine Kentucky bourbon. Surrounded by a corn field in Fulton County just outside of Hickman, KY, the distillery has been a long time coming into production. It took a discussion in Lloyd’s basement with his friend and bourbon broker, David Salmon, to breathe new life into a facility with minuscule production since its inception in the 1980’s. David mentioned he would buy a distillery if he could find one for sale. Proof that timing is everything, Lloyd told him that he happened to know of one and that an upcoming duck hunting trip on Reelfoot Lake would lead them past the idle distillery. It was love at first sight when David laid eyes on the Vendome Copper and Brass Works, Inc. all-copper still. Sitting in a distillery tucked in the farthest western nook of Kentucky was one of the finest stills in the industry. Vendome, the manufacturer, is a family owned business and longtime fixture in the spirits industry with a staff of acclaimed coppersmiths located in downtown Louisville. Lloyd and David, both with extensive and various business experience, wasted no time setting the wheels in motion to buy the distillery. The high caliper still might have inspired love at first site but the acquisition resulted in a long courtship. The venture was stalled when the pandemic shut the world down and made it challenging to hold investors together. The economic slowdown and stock market downturn left some nervous but they saw the vision, believed in the dream, and persevered. Not to be deterred, the distillery was acquired and on the 123rd day of operations was producing whiskey; a feat anyone ever involved in a startup operation can appreciate. Credit for the successful start-up goes to an impressive lineup of a world class team of professionals. In addition to Lloyd and David, who is the very capable COO, the team is rounded out by Craig Beam, Master Distiller, and Terry Ballard, Assistant Distiller. As might be expected by his surname, Beam’s bourbon pedigree is extraordinary. A seventh generation Kentucky distiller, he was the Master Distiller at Bardstown’s Heaven Hill Distillery before coming to Jackson Purchase Distillery. His grandfather and father were both Heaven Hill Master Distillers before passing the legacy onto Craig. Beam is described as having unparalleled knowledge of the industry. Rounding out the top level management team is Terry Ballard, Assistant Master Distiller and Director of Plant Operations. Terry’s work experience comes from years of experience as Lead Distiller at Willett Distillery also in Bardstown.

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: Lloyd Jones, CEO and President, Lloyd is quick to give credit to people in the bourbon industry for being a collegial bunch, Terry Balard, Assistant Master Distiller always friendly and willing to help. What’s good for one distillery is good for the bourbon and Director of Manufacturing, Craig Beam, Master Distiller, industry and good for Kentucky.

Angela Kirby, Executive Assistant. David Salmon sums it up in a promotional video: “Everybody in Kentucky makes great whiskey. Nobody makes bad whiskey. All of our goals are to make the best whiskey we possibly can, just some whiskey is better.” Jackson Purchase Distillery is steadily increasing production and the facility is under construction in expansion mode to accommodate the booming bourbon industry. Their capacity is booked for the next three years. Lloyd

Jones is amazed that the number of employees has risen to 34 at last count and that’s 34 good paying jobs in an economically depressed area.

Riding the amber wave of bourbon production is a boon to area agriculture with corn sourced locally. The local corn comes from the same watershed as the calcium rich water used in the mash. The mash byproduct is high in protein and water content making it the perfect cattle feed. The distillery is happy to offload it to area farmers. It’s a win/win for the distillery and the farmers. The byproduct must be moved due to capacity limitations and farmers are happy to get free cattle feed.

The team at Jackson Purchase Distillery is pleased with their product and the unique factors making the far western Kentucky distillery successful.

Being the only far western Kentucky distillery in a bourbon rich state is unique in itself but the Kentucky gentleman, Lloyd Jones, can lay claim to another distinction. Jackson Purchase Distillery is corporate sponsor to both Kentucky’s Banana Festival in Fulton and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. Held the same week, Lloyd will be tasked with deciding who from his team will represent the distillery at which festival. Bourbon and Bananas—it’s truly where two worlds collide!

Editor’s Note: As a contract supplier, Jackson Purchase Distillery does not offer tours or tastings.