A veteran-owned distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, recently announced a new name. Greg and Katie Keeley, the owners of the formerly named Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co., announced their relaunch as Larrikin Bourbon Co.
The name is a nod to co-founder Greg Keeley’s Australian heritage. According to the distillery, a larrikin is an Australian slang term for “someone who disregards convention, a maverick.”
“Larrikin Bourbon Co. is the American Dream for an immigrant and U.S Navy veteran”, said Greg, Larrikin’s co-founder and distiller. “For me and Katie, it’s about respecting generations of distilling tradition, while adding our own touch of pluck and mettle. It’s a journey I hope will bring the larrikin spirit, exemplified by the late Steve Irwin, to the bluegrass. So, damn the torpedoes- let’s make some more bloody good bourbon.”
Added Katie: “We realized when we founded the distillery, we had forgotten a crucial lesson learned from years of overseas service. A person is defined by who you are, not where you are. And candidly, we are fair-dinkum larrikins.”
Larrikin also recently debuted its inaugural Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The 8-year-old whiskey is the first release for Larrikin Bourbon since its evolution from the Lawrenceburg label. As is customary with Larrikin bourbon, the Bottled in Bond whiskey offers richness and depth, without any disagreeable burn. With a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4%, each batch is blended to reflect the Larrikin mission to craft extraordinary, novel whiskies.
Larrikin’s 8-year-old bonded bourbon conforms to the exacting Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. This act was enabled to ensure the authenticity and quality of aged whiskey. This requires it to be produced in a single distilling season, under the same roof, matured for at least four years in a U.S. bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 100 proof (50% ABV).
“Our focus is dead simple, producing bloody good bourbon”, says Greg. ”Larrikin Bottled-in-Bond is a mix of time-honored Kentucky distilling experience with a dash of Aussie cheek, blending tradition with a whole lot of passion.”
Larrikin Bourbon also announced that its flagship, Larrikin Single Barrel Bourbon, has scored 95 points and been awarded the Gold Medal at the 2024 International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC).