Rooted in Fayette County
Members of our family have lived here since the mid-1800s.
These pictures of Adam & Martha Radliff can be found in our Whiskey Underground.
AT PEAK, ILLINOIS PRODUCED 55% OF U.S. WHISKEY
We’re rich in distilling history, both legal & not-so-legal…
In addition to being right off I-70, the location offers a gateway to a rich history of whiskey-making, infamous prohibition-era bootlegging gangs like the Sheltons and the Birger gang, and of course, Abraham Lincoln. Abe wasn’t known to be much of a drinker, but his father was known for making great liquor. In the late 1800s there were two distilleries in Vandalia: one made brandy, the other made whiskey. Most aren’t aware that before Prohibition, Illinois produced more distilled spirits than any other state. With your help, we’re determined to relive a little of that history.
Our Historic Building
The historic 1870s building is home to our distillery and preserved as a tribute to the crafters that built it.
Come for a visit and WITNESS THE PASSION that goes into every bottle.
The Building
Recent research by a local historian indicates the building dates back to around 1870. Its history includes that of a hotel, a dry-goods store called the “Star Store” and most recently, the Allen Furniture Store starting in 1947.
The Equipment
The owner and his friend built the 550 gallon still, mash tun, and condenser by hand, and this is the equipment we use to make our distilled spirits.
What Makes Our Spirits Different
We keep it local and natural with every step of the process. We get our non-chlorinated, non-fluoridated water from a spring 25 miles north, we use a combination of locally-sourced corn/wheat grown and delivered by long-time friends in the area, and we grind all our grains on-site, with the spent mash going directly back to our farm to feed our cows.
~~~WITNESS THE SPIRITS~~~
And right out the front window, across the street, is the beautiful Vandalia State House, where Abraham Lincoln first served in elected office.
