Whiskey Founders Stories

Table of Contents

(listed in Section order below)

Many of the names below will be found on your favorite whiskey label or bourbon bottle even today. This page is dedicated to the men or women who spent their entire lives working in or improving on the Whiskey or Bourbon industry in North America and the United Kingdom. In order to have made this list, the person must have had some significant impact on either their Company, their Distillery or the Industry as a whole.

For a Comprehensive List of every person featured in the Whiskey Founders Section simply scroll down this page. This list is placed in Alphabetical order by Region name listing U.S. Regions first and then other countries’ Regions next.

For a list of the members of the Whiskey Founders Committee, the contributors to this section of the Whiskey University website, see the bottom of this page.

Colonel Craig Duncan, President — Tracy McLemore, National Chairman.

Whiskey Founders Committee

Below are Seven Geographic Regions of Whiskey Founders (listed Alphabetically in the U.S., then other countries’ Regions) followed by Three Misc. Category Whiskey Founders.

Map of six Mid-Atlantic states with each state's flag inside its borders, wheat illustration on left, and the text 'Whiskey Founders: The Mid-Atlantic States' above and below.

Mid-Atlantic States Whiskey Founders

Map of the Midwest United States with state outlines and symbols representing Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky. Wisconsin's outline features the state flag. Michigan has its official seal. Ohio has a flag with a circle of stars. Illinois displays a symbol with an eagle and flag. Kentucky shows its state seal. The image also includes a bundle of wheat in the top right corner.

Midwest States Whiskey Founders

Map of the northeastern United States highlighting states with craft whiskey founders, each state contains a logo or emblem representing its craft whiskey community, with Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Northeast State Whiskey Founders

Map of the southern states of the U.S. with state flags, a whiskey glass, and grains, labeled 'Southern Whiskey Founders'.

Southern States Whiskey Founders

Map of Western States with regions color-coded and a bundle of wheat tied with a string in the top right corner. Title: 'Western States Craft Whiskey Founders'.

Western States Whiskey Founders

Illustration of a map of Canada with the Canadian flag design, a bottle of Canadian whisky in the top right corner, and the text "Canadian Whisky" at the bottom.

Canadian Whisky Founders

Map of Scotland showing regions named Highland, Lowlands, Speyside, Fife, Cambletown, Isles, and Islands, with a graphic of wheat on the right and the title "Scottish Whisky Founders".

Scotch Whisky Founders

An online advertisement button with red background and white text that says 'CLICK HERE'. Below is a gray section with white text stating 'INDEX OF ALL WHISKEY FOUNDERS STORIES (ALPHABETICALLY)'.
Collage of images supporting whiskey creation, including a still, a handwritten note, a fire outbreak in a warehouse, whiskey bottles, and a storage room, with a logo in the center featuring a shield with a W, a barrel, and a book.

Whiskey Supporters & Contributors

Illustration of a Whiskey Founders Committee meeting with people seated around a large round table.

Whiskey Founders Committee

Logo with pink text reading 'Women in Whiskey' and a stylized wide-brimmed hat and three whiskey bottles in the background.

Women Whiskey Founders

Clickable LINK to a Map of All Distilleries: North American Distillery Map