Prichard's Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Prichard's Distillery in Kelso, Tennessee, is an American craft distillery that produces pot-still spirits with a distinctly historic character. The distillery emphasizes traditional pot-still techniques, a handmade touch in bottle design, and also offers a Private Barrel program, where customers can have their own whiskey, rum or brandy distilled, aged and bottled to order.

History

Family heritage plays a central role in the story: a will from 1822 mentions Benjamin Prichard as the last known 'legal' distiller in the family, and he handed his tools to his son Enoch. The historical reference provides the background for the distillery's focus on traditional pot-still methods. Today, Phil Prichard is listed as President and Master Distiller, and under his name the distillery highlights its craft-focused approach. In addition to production methods, the distillery has also worked on bottle design over the years; the latest bottle is a reinterpretation of an early American hand-blown bottle in amber glass to protect the spirit from light and highlight the handmade expression.

Raw Materials and Production

Prichard's works with classic pot-still techniques and at the same time offers customers the possibility to have their own barrel produced through a Private Barrel program. The distillery handles mashing of grains, fermentation of mashes, and the distillation itself, before the spirit is put into barrels. Historically, the use of 'high sugar content white corn' and 'pure Tennessee spring water' is mentioned in the family's recipes, and the pot-still technique is explicitly mentioned as the chosen method. For private barrels, a process is described in which the distillery handles the entire production process, including the choice of spirit type (single malt, spicy rye, rum or brandy as options) and the creation of labeling at tapping.

Aging and Barrel Types

The distillery offers aging of private barrels in its warehouse, typically for at least four years. For the Private Barrel program, barrels with a 3 mm 'alligator' char are used, and the distillery notes the storage conditions in its own facilities. The text also describes the natural loss during maturation (angel's share) and indicates an average expected bottle yield from a barrel.

Whiskeys

The website does not present a detailed list of commercial single releases, but shows a range of product directions: pot-still whiskeys in traditional styles, as well as the possibility of private barrels in variants such as single malt, spicy rye, rum and brandy. In addition, emphasis is placed on a distinctive bottle appearance; the latest bottle is inspired by early American hand-blown bottles and is made in amber glass to protect the spirit.

Visiting the Distillery

The distillery markets a Private Barrel program, where interested parties can order a barrel of newly distilled spirit, have it aged in charred barrels in the warehouse, and have bottles filled and labeled to their own design. During production, a Certified Barrel Warehouse Receipt is issued with production date, type of spirit and storage location. When the barrel is finished, the contents can be bottled, fitted with an engraved plate, and sent to a local retailer. For more information and purchases, the mailing address and telephone number are provided in the contact details.

Philosophy and Craft

The distillery highlights handcrafted quality and an ambition to preserve pot-still traditions from previous generations. Emphasis is placed on the historical grounding in the family history, the choice of bottle design with protective amber glass, and offering customers a tailored experience through private barrels, where the distillery's craft covers the entire production process.