Barton 1792 Founders
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
1
Jack Beam
The youngest son of David Beam was John H. "Jack" Beam, born in 1839. At the age of 21, he built his own distillery near Bardstown in 1860. He stayed a distiller until his death in 1915, at the age of 75. The name of Jack’s distillery and the name of the whiskey they made there, was Early Times. Eventually the brand was acquired by Brown-Forman. Early Times continues to be a leading seller throughout the world.
3
William “Bill” Friel
Bill Friel’s memoir is not one of flash and fame, but of slow, steady mastery, proof that a quiet life, rooted in passion and precision, can create a legacy that ages as well as the spirit he loved. Bill’s life reminds us that some of the greatest stories are not shouted but savored, like good bourbon in a quiet moment. His life, like the whiskey he crafted, was built to last.
2
Ross Cornelissen
Cornelissen emphasizes the importance of barrel aging, location of barrels in the rickhouses, warehouse conditions, proof levels, and knowing when finished bourbon is ready. He has spoken at length about how top-tier warehouse positions (hot spots, cold spots, differing airflow and temperature) can lead to high proof levels.
5
Danny Kahn
Kahn, as the Master Distiller and Operations Manager, leads the distilleries' flavor profiles at every level. Kahn has been instrumental in developing several 1792 special releases as well as their Thomas Moore line, including their complex and awarded finishing processes.
6
Benjamin F. Mattingly
Ben Mattingly’s destiny was intertwined with bourbon lineage. To no one’s surprise, in 1864, he married Catherine Willett, daughter of the distinguished Willett family of Kentucky bourbon fame. The Willetts and Mattinglys were two of the most respected names in the region’s distilling world
4
Oscar Getz
Oscar Getz was amazed with the history of distilling in Kentucky. He was also a prolific collector of whiskey memorabilia. Getz was so enamored with bourbon making he wrote a book called, "Whiskey: An American pictorial history," which came out in 1978 and became the definitive reference to everything in the Bourbon business for the next two decades.
9
Frank Thompson
In the years following World War II, Glenmore Distillery thrived. By 1946, the distillery had barreled its two-millionth barrel of whiskey, a testament to its scale and endurance. Under Colonel Thompson’s tenure, the company diversified and expanded. It also acquired the popular Yellowstone Bourbon brand in 1944.
7
Thomas S. Moore
In 1874, Tom Moore married Mary Virginia (Jennie) Collings. That same year, he went to work for the Willett family in its distilling business. There he met another new employee named Ben Mattingly. The two would go on to work closely together for many years. In 1876, Tom & Ben christened their operation Mattingly & Moore Distillery.
