Old Forge Distillery

Water and grains are the essential components of making great whiskey. Our founders settled here for both the water source and the land to build a mill for grinding grains, laying the foundation for crafting Old Forge spirits today. We continue that heritage by stone grinding our own quality grains where they once did, combining old-fashioned methods of the settlers with the modern-day know-how of our Head Distiller.

1700’s – Early European inhabitants of the Great Smoky Mountains brought over their copper pot stills. Many were of Scotch-Irish ancestry – hardy settlers with a long history of distilling.

1790 – Mordecai Lewis was granted a 151 acre plot of land by Governor William Blount. Rich with natural resources and located along the banks of the Little Pigeon River, the area was ideal for building the forge and the mill.

1817 – Iron making was one of Tennessee’s first true industries. The iron forge was built by Isaac Love.

1830 – William Love, Isaac Love’s son, built the Old Mill. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it has been in continuous operation stone grinding corn, wheat, rye, and buckwheat.

1910 – Just a few yards away from the Old Mill, where the Head Miller grinds, fills, and hand-ties bags of quality stone-ground grains, stands a 100-year-old building. Once a farm supply store, it is now home to the Old Forge Distillery.

2014 – In 2014 Old Forge Distillery opened its doors with its own line of moonshine distilled using freshly-ground grain from The Old Mill. Today Old Forge continues to add new spirit offerings such as award wining Rum, Vodka, Tennessee Roots, Distiller’s Select, Cream, and Single-Barrel Aged Bourbon.