Evan Williams Distillery
In 1783, he founded Kentucky’s first commercial distillery on the banks of the Ohio River. Many years and barrels later, our master distillers are still producing Bourbon the right way, using the same time-honoured methods
Evan Williams, a Welsh immigrant, settled in Kentucky and began distilling in 1783 in what is now Louisville. He was later elected the city's first wharf master in 1797. A historical marker claims his was Kentucky’s first commercial distillery, but this is debated.
The brand's black label reads “Since 1783” and “Kentucky’s 1st distiller”, though the modern Evan Williams brand was created by Heaven Hill in 1957, and the name was trademarked in the 1960s.
Historian Michael Veach questions the accuracy of the founding story, noting records show Williams arriving in the U.S. only in 1794. He believes others, like Jacob Myers or the Davis brothers, may have been Kentucky’s true first distillers.
According to The New York Times, popular brands like Evan Williams and Elijah Craig were developed by skilled Jewish marketers, including the Shapira brothers, co-founders of Heaven Hill, who still own and run the company.