I’m a native of Indiana, which by historical default makes me a Hoosier, and this fact means very little until the opportunity arises to remind listeners that for all the widespread certainty about bourbon being entirely a Kentucky thang, lots of it (and my personal fave, rye) is sourced from what some might call an “industrial” distillery in Indiana.
The historic 174-year-old Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, began life as the Rossville Distillery in 1847 by George Ross, and is one of America’s last Prohibition era distilleries. The underground aquifer that produces limestone-filtered water, gave the rye whiskey a pure, unique taste. During Prohibition, George Remus was based in Cincinnati. He was within 200 miles of every shuttered whiskey warehouse in the country, including just 30 miles from Rossville Distillery. He even had warehousing grounds on the current day property. Seagrams bought Rossville Distillery in 1933. After a few more owners, MGP bought the distillery in 2011. They produce their proprietary brands, including George Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Remus Repeal Reserve, Rossville Union Rye Whiskey, Eight & Sand Blended Bourbon Whiskey and Tanner’s Creek.
Consequently, this interesting revelation, perhaps as much or more “shift” as softening. Either way, the history of today’s MGP is fascinating — and Hoosier.
One of America’s Largest Distilleries Is Cutting Production as the Whiskey Market Softens, by Jonah Flicker (Robb Report)
MGP is one of the biggest whiskey producers in the country. The Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery makes massive amounts of bourbon and rye whiskey for other brands, as well as releasing its own in-house labels under the Ross & Squibb name under which it rebranded after acquiring spirits company Luxco in 2021. But the management team just announced that it will slow down production of whiskey because of a softening market, which might not come as a total shock to those following the recent trajectory of American whiskey. brands looking to source or contract distill whiskey now—MGP used to be the only game in town, but Bardstown Bourbon Company has been a source for many new whiskey brands, as well as a few other smaller operations.
