We’ve waited a long time for this moment! We’re proud to announce the revival of the historic Green River Distilling Company in its original home in Owensboro, Kentucky.
The distillery was founded by J.W. McCulloch. He began making whiskey in 1885 and traveled the world to promote his brand. Green River Whiskey became synonymous with quality and known for producing some of the finest bourbon in Kentucky. Soon the whiskey was winning international awards, including a gold medal and “best of show” at the Paris Exposition in 1900, and later the grand prize at the 1905 Exposition in Belgium.
To this day, Green River lore is some of the most fascinating in the whiskey world. Known as the “most expensive spirit ever sold,” 20 barrels were once traded for interest in a Colorado gold mine. Songs were penned about the “whiskey without a headache,” and early reviews described it as a “king among whiskeys.”
Sadly, at the height of Green River’s popularity, a fire broke out on the distillery grounds. In just three hours, most of the buildings and whiskey barrels were reduced to rubble. The distillery was rebuilt, but Prohibition was passed and J.W. MCulloch wouldn’t live to restore Green River to glory. In the following decades, the distillery passed hands on several occasions. The Medley Distilling Company was the most well known to operate on the grounds.
In 2014, we found the distillery with such a storied history in ruins. With a great team, brick by brick, building by building, we restored the iconic DSP-KY-10. After two years of hard work, we began distilling in 2016 under the name of O.Z. Tyler, the visionary who founded the company that purchased the distillery.
Now, we’ve come full circle. With the support of J.W. McCulloch’s great-grandson, we are proud to raise the Green River flag on the distillery campus again and begin the next chapter in Green River’s history.
Cheers!