It all started back in 2010, after Louisiana-born turned New England native, Blake Amacker, and his cousin Chris Arnold took a distillery tour while on a boy's trip to Ireland.  Both engineers by day, the cousins quickly took a liking to the distilling process and all it's moving parts.  And just like how many great ideas are born, they decided to start their own distillery over a few drinks!  They had a vision for a distillery that focused on bringing back the tradition of artisanal spirits while adding their own unique southern charm to the process. 

​

The cousins had a passion for spirits well before their trip to Ireland and Blake had years of experience making beer for fun, so it didn't take long for the boys to get to work. They began researching 'How-To' handbooks, history textbooks, and technical journals on distilling.  Blake also volunteered at reputable distilleries around the country, finding master distillers as mentors and receiving hands-on training. In 2012, the pair designed and built their first little still and nicknamed it "the Copper Cannon". This allowed them to further experiment with different mashes, tweaking methodologies, and fine-tuning their craft. Chris then went on to pursue his master's degree in marketing for the business-side of the distillery.