I waited a long time to revisit this forgotten distillery after stumbling upon it back in February of 2014. Here are some photos from its previous state of disrepair.
Fast forward to now. The Castle and Key Distillery was a joint venture by co-founders Will Arvin and Wes Murray back in the spring/summer of 2014 to purchase this property that had been abandoned for 45+ years. Fueled by a desire for a new challenge as well as honoring and restoring this site’s rich legacy, these two along with Marianne Eaves (Master Distiller), partner Brook Smith and team continue to make this a world class destination space.
Here are some images I took on our Experience Tour on November 29, 2018. The vintage style cyanotypes with the brushed edges definitely take me back in time.
I love this quote form their site: “Castle & Key isn’t just a great drink, and it isn’t just an immersive bourbon destination. It’s a new way of thinking founded on courage. It takes courage to make difficult decisions, make things the hard way because it’s the right way, and make change. Live courageously, follow your crazy convictions.“
I’m excited to see where this journey takes them. I’m also proud of their commitment to preserving the spirit and legacy of this place while bringing their own unique vision and blend of spirits to this area. They are currently making Gin and Vodka there with their own locally sourced ingredients while their Bourbon and rye continue to age. Those wont be released to til 2019-2021 so stay tuned.
Thanks for stopping by!