Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. tells BourbonBlog.com that R. M. “Corky” Taylor, the fourth-generation chairman and CEO of Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who—a recognition that considers factors like position, accomplishments, visibility, and prominence.
For the whiskey world, the headline isn’t just the honor—it’s that Taylor has been a central figure in the modern resurrection of Peerless, helping bring a historic label back into active production and into the conversation among quality-focused Kentucky distilleries.
The Legacy and Revival of Peerless + Business Track Record
Taylor has held the Peerless chairman/CEO role since 2011, overseeing the operation and steering the modern-era rebuild of a brand whose origins trace to 1889 and whose earlier distilling chapter ended after Prohibition.
One detail that’s especially “Peerless” is how hands-on the comeback is described: Taylor partnered with his son Carson Taylor (pictured below) to purchase and renovate an old building—reestablishing Peerless as a working distillery and building its reputation around quality and craftsmanship.
Before returning to distilling, the release outlines a broader business career.
Taylor founded Bencor, grew it, and later sold it to a New York firm located at Rockefeller Center. Earlier, he served as a marketing manager at Jefferies in Atlanta.
His education is also part of the profile: he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Murray State University and attended on a four-year golf scholarship, serving as team co-captain and captain during college.
Kentucky Peerless: Reputation, Visitors, and the Road Ahead
For bourbon fans, this fits the way Kentucky Peerless is often described: a house that wants to be known not for its size, but for its excellence—with the focus squarely on producing exceptional bourbon, welcoming visitors from across the U.S. and around the world, and protecting a quality-first reputation as a leader within the spirits industry.
That same “long game” theme runs through the personal details included in the profile.
Taylor is noted as civically active through board service with the American Lung Association, and Peerless has also highlighted his induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Class of 2024 as part of his recognition arc.
This news also leans into the leadership philosophy Taylor credits for his career: respect for employees, colleagues, and customers, paired with humility as a core principle for building lasting success.
It adds that personal adversity helped shape his resilience and perseverance—traits he used to build thriving enterprises across multiple industries before and alongside his role in the modern Peerless comeback.
The post Peerless Distilling Co. Chairman Corky Taylor Earns Marquis Who’s Who Honor first appeared on BourbonBlog.
