About
Neeley Family Distillery is a small family-owned operation in Sparta, KY, with 11 generations of distilling heritage from Eastern Kentucky mountains, going legal in 2015. Tenth-generation Roy Neeley built the distillery, and eleventh-generation Royce Neeley serves as the young lead distiller using traditional pot stills, cypress fermenters, family yeast, and non-chill-filtered methods for authentic bourbon, rye, moonshine, and specialty spirits. They honor their bootlegging past while producing high-quality, award-winning products like barrel-proof single barrel bourbon and world-class absinthe.
11 generations of family distilling tradition
Authentic Kentucky moonshine and bourbon
Bottle-your-own single barrel experiences
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What They Make
Neeley Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
Non-chill filtered, bottled at barrel proof from local grains, cypress fermented, triple pot distilled.
Neeley Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon
63% corn, 17% oats, 8% wheat, 12% malt; no enzymes; tasting notes of honey, chocolate, oatmeal.
R.D.r Neeley Sweet Thumped Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Cooked at lower temps with proprietary copper thumper for sweeter notes.
Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Inspired by historic Jett Brothers Distillery; finishes like Apricot Brandy (112.5 proof), etc.
Hidden Barn Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Series One
70% corn, 20% rye, 10% malted barley; double pot distilled, various tasting notes.
Hidden Barn Organic Wheated Bourbon Batch 2
70% corn, 25% wheat, 5% rye; organic grains; double gold SFWSC; Kosher certified.
Old Pap Neeley's Reserve Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Moonshine
Triple pot distilled, aged in one-time use bourbon barrels; oldest aged moonshine on legal market.
Neeley's Wormwood Absinthe Verte
Distilled on pre-ban French still; 1871 recipe with 8 botanicals; multiple double gold and platinum SFWSC.
Authentic Kentucky Moonshine
Original family recipe from 1913; triple pot distilled with thump keg; 120.2 proof.
Southern Dew Chocolate Moonshine Truffle
Irish cream base with chocolate fudge, vanilla, walnut.
Southern Dew Orange Moonshine Creamsicle
Irish cream base with orange cream flavors.
Awards
Double Gold
2024
Double Gold
2023
Best Small Batch 1st Place
2023
Platinum Medal
Double Gold (3 consecutive)
Latest News
Documentary 'Neeley Family Distillery: A Heritage Distilled' available on DVD and Amazon streaming.