Arlon & Peg Jones
Arlon “AJ” Casey Jones was born February 8, 1957. He is the grandson of Alfred “Casey” Jones, the celebrated Golden Pond, Kentucky moonshiner and stillmaker whose square “wagon bed” style stills became famous locally. AJ grew up in Christian County, Kentucky, in a household where work was expected and practical knowledge was valued. From an early age, he learned to operate equipment, repair machinery, and contribute meaningfully to family responsibilities. These experiences established a comfort with tools and systems that would later distinguish him in the distilling world, where mechanical reliability and process control matter as much as tradition.
After completing his secondary education in Christian County, Jones entered the workforce rather than pursuing a traditional four-year college path. His early career was rooted in industrial and mechanical trades, including work in maintenance, fabrication, and plant operations. Over time, he developed a reputation as a skilled technician who understood not only how equipment functioned, but how to keep complex systems running under real-world conditions. This background would prove unusually well suited to distilling, a craft that blends chemistry, engineering, and constant mechanical vigilance.
Jones’ personal life also took shape during these years. He married Peggy “Peg” Hays, who would later become his closest partner in both life and business. Their marriage formed a stable foundation long before the idea of a distillery existed. Together, they raised children in western Kentucky, maintaining close ties to extended family and community. Peg’s organizational skills and steady temperament complemented Jones’ mechanical instincts, creating a partnership that naturally translated into entrepreneurship.
By the early 2010s, Jones began seriously exploring the possibility of establishing a distillery. His mechanical background allowed him to appropriately evaluate still designs, fermentation systems, and layout requirements with a practical eye. Rather than purchasing a turnkey system, Jones fabricated and assembled much of his own equipment, including a custom copper pot still built largely by hand. This approach reflected both cost discipline and a desire to understand every part of the production process.
Peg Jones played a central role from the beginning. She handled licensing paperwork, regulatory compliance, bookkeeping, and administrative operations—tasks essential to launching a legal distillery but often invisible to visitors. Her involvement allowed Jones to concentrate on production design, mash bills, and equipment construction. From the outset, the distillery functioned as a true family enterprise rather than a single-founder project.
In 2014, AJ and his family opened Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The distillery was named in honor of Jones’ grandfather, linking historical identity with a modern, licensed operation. From its opening, the facility emphasized small-batch production, on-site distillation, and direct engagement with visitors.
Jones took the lead on production, overseeing grain selection, mashing, fermentation, distillation, and barreling. His early releases included unaged white whiskey, bourbon, rye whiskey, and flavored spirits. Rather than attempting to replicate legacy Kentucky bourbon houses, Jones focused on developing approachable spirits with clear grain character and straightforward profiles.
Peg Jones became the operational backbone of the distillery’s day-to-day business. She manages finances, coordinates inventory, assists in bottling operations, and frequently works in the gift shop and tasting room. Her presence ensures continuity and stability, allowing the distillery to scale carefully while maintaining family oversight.
As the distillery matured, Jones continued refining processes, adjusting mash bills, and improving consistency. He also maintained an unusually transparent relationship with visitors, regularly discussing equipment design, fermentation times, and barrel management in detail. This openness became part of the distillery’s identity, distinguishing it from larger, more scripted visitor experiences.
Jones’ children have also been involved in aspects of the operation over time, assisting with bottling, labeling, and general distillery work. This participation reinforces the multi-generational character of the enterprise and reflects the same hands-on upbringing Jones experienced himself.
Today, Arlon Casey “AJ” Jones stands as a practical distiller shaped by mechanics, family partnership, and regional heritage rather than formal distilling pedigrees. His story is not one of rapid expansion or corporate acquisition, but of steady construction—of equipment, processes, and a business rooted in family labor. Through Casey Jones Distillery, Jones transformed a historic family name into a modern, licensed operation that reflects both western Kentucky tradition and contemporary craft discipline.
Sources:
Drinkhacker, “Review: Casey Jones Distillery AJ’s Birthday Blend Bourbon 2025”, February 15, 2025, drinkhacker.com
Casey Jones Distillery Official Website, “Master Distiller’s Birthday Blend #1”, caseyjonesdistillery.com
Kentucky Distillers’ Association, “Casey Jones Distillery Grand Opening Celebration May 12”, May 6, 2016, kybourbon.com
Kentucky Monthly, “24 Hours in… Hopkinsville” February 1, 2017, kentuckymonthly.com
WNKY-TV40, “Hopkinsville’s Casey Jones Joins B3 Beverage”, January 14, 2026, wnky.com
Kentucky Bourbon Trail,“Casey Jones… Bottle Your Own Bourbon Experience”, October 1, 2025, kybourbontrail.com
WKMS 91.3FM, “Hopkinsville Trail Of Tears…”, September 6, 2018, wkms.org
Contributed by Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
