Hemingway Whiskey Company has expanded beyond rye with a new Hemingway Bourbon: a 98-proof Kentucky straight bourbon blended from ~6-year and nearly 5-year barrels.
Was the interview above and on this link as Jacob Call, Chief Operating Officer and Master Distiller of Western Kentucky Distilling Co., tells BourbonBlog.com about it first.
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Hemingway Bourbon Whiskey Overview
- Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon (blend of 6-year & nearly 5-year bourbon whiskeys)
- Proof: 98 (49% ABV)
- Producer/Distiller: In collaboration with Western Kentucky Distilling Co., Beaver Dam, KY, led by 8th-generation distiller Jacob Call
- Launch Markets: Debuted at Publix Liquors in Florida and showcased at Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025; more markets to follow soon.
- Price: Around $40 / 750 mL
Who’s Behind Hemingway
The brand unites whiskey pioneer Steve Groth with the Call family: 7th-generation master distiller Ron Call, and sons Clayton and Jacob Call.
Their team blends generational Kentucky expertise with new production at Western Kentucky Distilling Co.
Building on the success of Hemingway Rye
Hemingway first earned praise with its rye whiskey, particularly the Signature Edition — a 102-proof blend finished in rum-seasoned Oloroso sherry casks released in 2022.
That success set the stage for this bourbon launch, which the brand says “turned out great,” balancing oak, spice, and sweetness at a cocktail-friendly proof.
About Western Kentucky Distilling Co. in Beaver Dam, Kentucky
Western Kentucky Distilling Co. opened in October 2023, the first distillery in Ohio County since Prohibition. It is Kentucky-owned with an investment of about $22 million (expandable to $30 million) and employs around 35 people.
The 80-acre site at 1880 Old Liberty Church Rd. includes a 25,000-square-foot distillery and 15 warehouses totaling 300,000 square feet. Capacity is more than 50,000 barrels a year with a storage for about 250,000 barrels.
Led by 8th-generation distiller Jacob Call and President J.D. Edwards, the distillery sources corn from Kentucky farmers and uses Kentucky-made equipment. Along with its own brands, it provides contract distilling and bulk distillate services. WKDCo. is also the production home for the Hemingway Whiskey portfolio.
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