LOUISVILLE, KY – One of Kentucky’s fastest-growing distilleries will soon take its place in Louisville’s Bourbon District, and a longtime veteran of the Kentucky spirits industry will be among those calling the new office home.
Jackson Purchase Distillery, a contract distiller with production facilities in Hickman, KY, will open a new corporate office in Louisville by the end of the year. The company is currently putting the finishing touches on its new space inside the Ice House building at 217 East Main Street. The office will host meetings and private tastings for bourbon investors and other distilleries who seek out Jackson Purchase whiskey for their own branded products.
The new office will also serve as home base for the company’s corporate leadership, including a new addition – Director of Contract Sales, Michael Creech. Creech spent nearly 20 years with Republic National Distributing Company, the second largest spirits distributor in the US, eventually rising to Area Manager for On-Premise. With Creech leading Republic’s Kentucky on-premise sales, that division’s sales grew significantly, eventually reaching well over 50 percent of the Kentucky market share.
Creech’s tenure at Republic also put him at the center of bourbon’s incredible resurgence in popularity over the last two decades. That experience makes him a perfect fit to join industry legends like Jackson Purchase’s Master Distiller Craig Beam and Assistant Master Distiller Terry Ballard. It also means he knows good bourbon when he tastes it, which makes him especially excited about marketing Jackson Purchase’s authentic Kentucky whiskey.
“I’ve tasted a lot of whiskey, and I knew even from the first smell that this was something special,” said Creech. “You can tell from the quality that they’re doing things the way they should be done, and investing in the things that make a difference.”
The new office and Creech’s new role are just the latest milestones for Jackson Purchase Distillery. The company will accept the Business of the Year award from the Hickman Chamber of Commerce of October 22nd. Kentucky Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman also visited the distillery in August to cut the ribbon on a 25,000 barrel rick house on site – and construction is now underway on an adjacent rick house as well. Earlier in the year, the distillery added a second, 36-inch column still that dramatically increased its production.
“It’s an incredible time for Jackson Purchase Distillery,” said CEO Lloyd Jones. “We’re excited about all our new facilities in Hickman and Louisville, and we’re thrilled that Michael’s experience and relationships will help us share our great product with entirely new customers.”
About Jackson Purchase Distillery
Founded in 2021, Jackson Purchase Distillery is one of the fastest growing distilleries in Kentucky. The Hickman, KY-based company offers contract distilling, selling new-fill barrels to craft brands, distillers in need of increased capacity, and companies that purchase barrels for future third party sales. To date the distillery has produced and is storing more than 70,000 barrels for its customers and has increased capacity to 60,000 barrels per year. Master Distiller, Craig Beam and Assistant Master Distiller, Terry Ballard are crafting authentic Kentucky bourbon from locally sourced grains and calcium rich well water.
