Whiskey Network is proud to announce RD1 Spirits is our 2025 Whiskey Maker of the Year
What’s in a Word
Our friends at RD1 Spirits like to use the word “finish” a lot in their conversations. The irony is that they’re just getting started.
Finish, of course, is what the RD1 team does to their whiskeys. But “wood” is really the word of the day because the company is bringing both art and science to the marriage of wood and bourbon, more than just about any other distillery out there.
Don’t believe me? RD has rotating, experimental barrels inside the thieving room at the RD1 Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky that just opened in May. The latest batch of barrels visitors can sample from (and fill their own bottles to take home) includes:
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished With Sweet Cherry Wood
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished With Balsamo Wood
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished With Palo Santo Wood
- Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished With Eucalyptus Wood
“When it comes to whiskey, wood is the hidden catalyst that manipulates everything,” said Jarrad Gollihue, PhD, RD1 Master Distiller. “There’s tradition and mystique there. From species and seasoning to toasting and charring, the technical science around wood and bourbon is what gets me going. I learn the most from failed experiments. That’s what I love about science. It’s the meticulous detail to change one small variable at a time. It takes a lot of documentation and patience. And when you nail it, you know.”
A Year to Remember
RD1 Distillery isn’t an overnight success, but for a company that’s fewer than six years old, its whiskey has created a big reputation in a short period of time.
The Whiskey Network editorial board is scattered from coast (California) to almost coast (Pennsylvania.) The group has followed RD1’s growth using unique wood finishes, but not everyone had sampled a wide range of the Kentucky distillery’s expressions. Samples were sent and RD1 quickly (and unanimously) moved to the top of the list when it came time to vote on our 2025 Whiskey Maker of the Year.
From my initial visit in 2023 to the first RD1 Spirits Tasting Room and Gift Shop in Lexington’s old distillery district on Manchester Street, I knew the people and their products were something to keep an eye on.
RD1 had just joined the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It didn’t take long for the announcement of a new distillery being built. Less than a year later, Gollihue (a.k.a.“Dr. Wood”) came onboard as Research and Development Master Distiller. Distribution continued to grow around the country, even as the number of unique finished bourbons grew in the RD1 warehouses.
I finally made the short drive west on I-64 to Lexington to tour the new digs last September, a few months after the grand opening. RD1’s new Kentucky home was so impressive, it made the cover of Whiskey Network Magazine that month.
Other accolades this past year included Inc. Magazine ranking RD1 Spirits as No. 1 in Kentucky, No. 14 in the U.S. food and beverage sector, and No. 280 nationally on the prestigious annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America.
Entering the new year, I asked RD1 CEO Mike Tetterton to reflect on the impressive journey that the company has taken.
“As you know, entrepreneurial ventures are challenging but also incredibly rewarding,” Tetterton said. “There’s been so many ‘wow’ moments along the way…building RD1 from Kentucky to 34 states across the country, opening RD1 Distillery at The Commons in May, and earning a spot on the Inc Magazine 5000 list this year. I attribute this dramatic growth to our quality of product, commitment to innovation, and a team full of dedication, creativity and grit.”
I met Barry Brinegar on my first visit to RD1 in 2023. He’s an RD1 co-founder and one of the best national brand ambassadors in the business.
When I toured the new RD1 Distillery at the expanding Commons entertainment district in Lexington, it was obvious that the distillery retains its strong connection to the city.
“Lexington has such rich bourbon history,” Brinegar said. “We feel a responsibility to carry that forward. I’m proud of the brand that we’ve built – one that leans into the innovation of wood finishing – and I think Lexington’s founding fathers would be proud of us too.”
It’s safe to say the people of Lexington, all around Kentucky, and across the country are noticing the interesting (and delicious) bourbon creations coming from RD1 Spirits.
Everyone here at Whiskey Network is honored to bestow the title of 2025 Whiskey Maker of the Year on RD1 Spirits. If you haven’t explored some of the exciting and creative wood finishes that RD1 is bringing to the world of bourbon, it’s time for you to branch out and explore.
About RD1 Spirits
Based in Lexington, Kentucky, RD1 Spirits exists to explore the bourbon frontier. Lexington entrepreneurs founded the company in 2020 to help give life to the stories of Lexington’s bourbon firsts, namely its first federally registered distillery, established in 1865. RD1 is paving its own path, focusing on Kentucky Straight Bourbon and its interaction with various wood finishings in the barrel. For more information on this growing brand, visit RD1spirits.com or follow @RD1spirits on Facebook and Instagram.
Colonel Brian G. Miller is the Editor of Whiskey Network Magazine. His column, The Bourbon Tutor, covers the latest in bourbon tourism, events, culture, and history. Brian lives in Bourbon City (Louisville, Kentucky). You can reach him at [email protected]
