Jeptha Creed Distillery

The owners at Jeptha Creed Distillery take the word heirloom to heart when it comes to the amber spirits they create. Several generations of the family have tilled Kentucky soil and the family’s farm grows most of the corn used at the distillery, including all the heirloom bloody butcher corn, a red varietal that gives the bourbons a distinct flavor.

Master distiller Joyce Nethery co-owns Jeptha Creed with her daughter Autumn Nethery, who is vice president of operations. Joyce’s husband, Bruce, runs the farm. It produces some of the varietals used in its Red, White and Blue bourbon, a complex, buttery spirit that’s released in November each year. Jeptha Creed Distillery’s limited-edition Bloody Butchers Creed bourbon is made with 90% red corn for a woody, robust sip.

In March 2026, the 10-year-old distillery created a new tour offering that gives visitors a chance to taste directly from a barrel selected by Joyce. After a look at the distilling process, the intimate tour finishes in a cozy room right out of a hunting lodge. You’ll taste a few Jeptha Creed bourbons and then use a whiskey thief — a copper tool used to pull bourbon out of a barrel — to pour a taste of a single barrel selected by Joyce for the experience. 

After the tour, head back to the lodge-style visitor center, which includes a gift shop and the Jeptha Creed Bar & Cafe serving cocktails and seasonal food items, including pizza. The distillery also regularly hosts concerts in the summer, and the vibe is quite family friendly, which isn’t always the case at bourbon distilleries. 500 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville, Kentucky 40065, 502/487-5007, jepthacreed.com