Medium/Craft Distillery Whiskey Founders
FLORIDA
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
Below are links to Whiskey Founders Life Stories that have made huge contributions to the growth of the Florida Whiskey Industry and Southern Whiskeys in general. These may have been historical figures that lived long ago before prohibition or may be living leaders that have advanced the cause of the industry as a whole.
(as well as Whiskey Founders from Puerto Rico)
1
Matthew Allen
Dark Door Spirits
When Matthew Allen co-founded Dark Door Spirits in Tampa, Florida, he was not setting out to become just another craft distiller. His mission was more personal: to craft whiskey that broke from tired traditions while still respecting the long arc of American distilling. Allen believes that Florida deserved a whiskey identity beyond tropical-flavored spirits
2
Barry Butler
Tarpon Springs Distillery
Barry and Lisa Butler moved to Florida's Gulf Coast. in 2013. Their interest in whiskey continued alongside Barry's pharmaceutical career. Even then, Barry was also distilling at home, gradually reaching the point where he believed the spirits he produced compared favorably with commercial products.
3
David Cohen
Manifest Distilling
Cohen’s approach is practical and meticulous. He has spoken at length about learning the mechanics of distillation in Kentucky, then translating that discipline to Florida’s climate and consumer tastes. That means paying attention to fermentation parameters and raw ingredient selection, but also to logistics.
4
Mike Diaz
St. Augustine Distillery
Mike Diaz insisted that the company's whiskey should genuinely represent Florida rather than imitate other states. His objective was not simply to manufacture bourbon within state lines, but to create a spirit built around Florida-grown agricultural products whenever practical, which was central to the distillery's philosophy.
5
Sean Espenship
The Jac*son*tucky
In January 2014, after years of study and preparation, Espenship founded his distillery in Jacksonville Beach and named it The Jack•Son•Tucky. From the day it fired up its stills, The Jack•Son•Tucky was built around one principle: whiskey only—no vodka, no gin, no shortcuts.
6
Ronny Folino
Oceanside Distillery
Ronny and his older brother, Lorenzo, grew up steeped in the quiet mechanics of distilling. Their grandfather fashioned makeshift stills and produced grappa as a hobby. That heritage stayed with Ronny even as his life took several practical turns: studies in engineering at the University of Central Florida, followed by architectural training in Italy.
7
Cam Ford
Timber Creek Distillery
Cam Ford devoted considerable time to researching both the technical and commercial aspects of small-scale distillation, concluding that the timing was favorable in the Florida Panhandle. Before committing significant capital, however, he had to decide whether he could actually produce high-quality spirits.
8
Ray Hooker
Indian River Distillery
Ray Hooker and some friends began experimenting with fermentation and distillation as a hobby. Hooker already enjoyed single malt whiskey, and fermentation interested him more than beer or wine. A gathering around a campfire in the Florida scrub in 2014 helped turn that curiosity into an idea before it was a profession.
9
Thomas List
List Distillery
Thomas List had the idea to turn toward his wife's distilling heritage. In doing so, they planned to combine her family's traditions and recipes with their own experiences. The result was List Distillery, based in Fort Myers, Florida. The products that are produced there are marketed under the Mr. Tom's Spirits label.
10
Philip McDaniel
St. Augustine Distillery
McDaniel currently serves as co-founder and CEO of the St. Augustine Distillery. He has worked diligently to push for updated legislation that would ease the restrictive liquor laws in the state of Florida. When the St. Augustine Distillery first opened, they could not sell bottles directly to consumers, nor could they sell their products by the glass.
11
Steve Milligan
Loaded Cannon Distillery
Steve Milligan’s distillery has now thrived well beyond its vulnerable startup years. Loaded Cannon reached the national top ten in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice competition for new craft distilleries in 2020, and it was selected among the Best of Florida distilleries in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
12
Scott Neil
Horse Soldier
Neil had a successful career serving in the United States Army Special Forces, including deployments to some of the most challenging environments in the world. He was on one of the first teams inserted in Afghanistan after 9/11. Neal’s vision came to life in 2015 when he and his good friends John and Elizabeth, together, founded American Freedom Distillery.
13
Brian Rabon
30A Distillery
Brian Rabon began to immerse himself in fermentation and beverage craftsmanship. He became an avid home brewer, continually experimenting with recipes and production techniques. His enthusiasm gradually expanded beyond beer into wine and ultimately distilled spirits, particularly American whiskey.
14
Josh Smotherman
Tarpon Springs Distillery
Josh Smotherman is Director of distilling at Tarpon Springs Distillery, and works alongside the founders. His title reflects a career that has now spanned two distinct periods in American craft whiskey. At Tarpon Springs, he commissioned a new distilling system and built a whiskey portfolio that has progressed rapidly.
15
Daniel Stewart
Ology Distillery
Daniel Stewart approaches maturation as a major component of whiskey production rather than simply a waiting period. His professional writing has examined barrel size, American oak, secondary maturation in wine and sherry casks, yeast selection, and other subjects directly related to whiskey flavor.
16
Colby Theisen
Loggerhead Distillery
Colby Theisen traveled to Kentucky to complete courses in distilling and fermentation, seeking formal instruction before investing substantial time and money. There, he "fell in love with (distilling),” discovering that the process allowed him to work with science while applying familiar engineering principles.