The Brand Behind Evan Williams Whiskey Also Makes Several Of Your Favorite Liquors

Evan Williams has deep Kentucky bourbon history. The man Evan Williams is often considered the first Kentucky distiller who began making whiskey around 1783. But the bourbon that bears his name today is a bit younger. The Heaven Hill distillery revived the name in 1957 to produce a nicely priced bourbon worth buying. Heaven Hill not only makes Evan Williams but also owns a wide range of other well-known and delicious spirits, including additional bourbon brands such as Elijah Craig, Mezcal Vago, and Christian Brothers Brandy.

Heaven Hill has been around since 1935, remains an independent bottler, and has overcome some severe hardships — such as a devastating fire that burned its distillery to the ground in 1993 — to become a leading global spirits producer. While best known for its various bourbons, the company began expanding its spirits portfolio in the mid-1970s, moving into vodka and gin to keep up with changing American tastes when martinis and other white-spirit-based cocktails became widely popular. In the ensuing decades, Heaven Hill continued to expand, and most recently , moved into tequila and mezcal, among other spirit categories. And it all started with a single barrel.

In 1935, a group of Kentucky-based investors, including the Shapiro brothers — David, Ed, Gary, George, and Mose — launched Old Heavenhill Springs distillery by filling their first barrel with whiskey that the distillery would release four years later as its first Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. In addition to the award-winning Elijah Craig Bourbon, Heaven Hill also produces Old Fitzgerald — the storied bourbon brand with fans including Anthony Bourdain. The distillery also owns Widow Jane, Larceny, Illinois' FEW Spirits, and Pikesville Straight Rye, among other whiskies.

From its first big acquisition of the Aristocrat brand in 1974, a spirits line that includes budget-friendly gin, vodka, and triple sec, Heaven Hill has expanded beyond whiskey. The distillery received the rights to produce the aperitif Dubonnet in the U.S. in 1993, and now also produces such far-flung products as the vibrant blue-hued Hpnotiq liqueur, Carolans Irish Cream, Blackheart Rum, Bluecoat Gin, and Burnett's Vodka.

In 2021, Heaven Hill expanded into Mexican spirits through its partnership with Lunazel Tequila. The company moved further into the category the following year with Tequila Ocho and the aforementioned Mezcal Vago. So the next time you stop by the liquor store and peruse the aisles, one of your favorite liquors might just be a product from Heaven Hill, which is still operated by the Shapiro family nearly 100 years on.