Our Story

When we, Bluegrass Distillers, were considering relocating our distillery to Midway, we quickly learned of the rich distilling history of our new home.

The original Midway Distilling Company operated from 1916 to 1920 in Midway, KY, Kentucky's first railroad town. Production was suspended by the Food and Fuel Control Act. Midway Distilling barrels were then bottled as medicinal spirits until 1924 when the distillery and its remaining inventory were destroyed by fire.

PRESCRIPTION FORM FOR MEDICINAL LIQUOR

Production was suspended by the Food and Fuel Control Act, effective 1917. Midway Distilling barrels were then bottled as medicinal spirits.

The city of Midway was founded after Colonel John Francsico sold his 216 acre farm to the L&O Railroad Company in 1835. The original “distillery district” of Midway aka Lot 25, where several distilleries operated 1865-1877, was then moved to the Northeast corner of Dudley & Gratz, which eventually became home to the original Midway Distilling Company. During this time, the main water source for the distilleries in the area was Lee’s Branch, an off-shoot of the Elkhorn Creek. Fast forward to 2021, the Midway Distilling name has been Reclaimed as a line of barrel aged rye whiskeys


The team at Bluegrass Distillers is committed to reviving the rich 155 year history of distilling in Midway by using the finest grains and time-honored methods to produce the finest finished whiskeys.