Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co

Founded in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky in 2021 by Greg and Katie Keeley, this veteran-founded craft operation rebranded in 2024 from Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. to Larrikin Bourbon Co. In just a few years it has stacked up medals from some of the industry's most closely watched competitions, a fast climb for a distillery still scaling its own production.

History & Heritage

Greg Keeley, the founder and distiller, and his wife Katie Keeley launched Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. in 2021 in the heart of Anderson County, Kentucky, a stretch of bluegrass country dense with distilling history. The Keeleys built the company on a veteran-forward mission from day one, committing to a workforce where half the team consists of veterans, first responders, or nursing professionals. That commitment became part of the brand's identity as much as anything in the mash bill.

In December 2023 the distillery joined the Kentucky Distillers' Association as a Craft-level member, a formal marker of its place among the state's working distilleries rather than a bottling operation alone. Then, in November 2024, the company rebranded from Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. to Larrikin Bourbon Co., a name change that carried the same ownership, the same distiller, and the same Versailles Road address forward under new branding. As of July 2026, the distillery remains owned and operated by Greg Keeley and Katie Keeley.

The distillery has also been actively growing its physical footprint, with plans to upgrade its still capacity from a modest 50-gallon setup to a 500-gallon still, a signal of a producer moving from proof-of-concept scale toward real production volume.

The Whiskey

Larrikin's expressions split cleanly between what the Keeleys distill in-house and what they source and finish from other Kentucky producers, a common and transparent path for young craft distilleries building an aged portfolio while their own barrels mature. The house style leans rye-forward. The Larrikin Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, an 8-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, uses a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, a notably high rye percentage that shows up in the spice-forward profile across the range.

The flagship Larrikin Single Barrel Bourbon, including 9-year variants, has become the brand's most decorated release. The Larrikin Cigar Lounge Bourbon takes a more experimental route, finished across a striking combination of Cognac, Amburana, Jaca, Madeira, and Maple Syrup barrels. The Larrikin One Cask Bourbon carries forward as the flagship expression that predates the rebrand. On the rye side, the Larrikin Ten x Ten Rye is a 100% small batch rye. Seasonal releases round out the lineup, including a Larrikin Rosewater Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey proofed down with in-house rosewater and a Larrikin American Maple Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery also produces a 7-year, 143.6-proof Larrikin American Light Whiskey, and bottles gin under the Larrikin Koala Bare label. Some expressions, including the Rosewater, Cigar Lounge, and One Cask series, are sourced from undisclosed Kentucky distilleries, reportedly including Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling Co., while the house builds its own aged stocks.

Why It Matters

For a distillery founded in 2021, the trophy case is disproportionate. In 2024, Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co. was named Distiller of the Year, Spirit of the Year, and Best Whiskey at the Monterey International Spirits Competition, with the One Cask Bourbon taking a Platinum Medal at 99 points and the Ten x Ten Rye Whiskey and One Cask Rye both earning Gold. The Larrikin Single Barrel Bourbon scored 95 points and a Gold Medal at the 2024 International Wine & Spirits Competition. In 2025, both the Larrikin Bourbon Bottled in Bond and Larrikin Single Barrel Bourbon won Gold at the New York International Spirits Competition. Most recently, at the 2026 ASCOT Awards, the 9-Year Single Barrel Bourbon took Double Platinum, the 9-Year Cigar Lounge Bourbon took Platinum, and the 8-Year Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon took Gold. That consistency across national and international judging panels, spanning both sourced and house-distilled expressions, points to a quality bar the Keeleys have held steady through a full brand rebrand and a production scale-up.

Visiting the Distillery

Larrikin Bourbon Co. welcomes visitors to its Lawrenceburg location with a tasting room, gift shop, private barrel room, and bourbon bar. Guests can join tastings and cocktail classes, or fill and label their own bottle straight from the cask. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Visitors must be 21 or older, though designated drivers are exempt. The distillery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM.