JK Williams Distilling
Brief overview of the distillery
JK Williams Distilling is a revived distillery in Peoria, Illinois, built on a rediscovered recipe from the bootlegger J.K. Williams. The new owners, Andy and Stacy Faris, have resumed distillation and aging in a new facility on North Industrial Road, work with locally sourced corn, and have instituted a policy of at least four years of aging for their own releases.
History
Peoria was, during 1837–1919, a significant center for spirits production with many distilleries and breweries. A recipe attributed to J.K. Williams survived this period. In the early 2010s, Williams' descendants established a modern company under his name, but the previous iteration ceased production in 2018. In April 2019, Andy and Stacy Faris bought the stills and inventories and relaunched the business, dropping the period in the name. Head Distiller Jeff Murphy joined the team in 2020, and at the end of 2020 the first releases from the new owners hit the market; Gold Zephyr won a gold medal in the USA Spirits Ratings that same year. The distillery later planned an American wheat whiskey release based on a special barrel blend.
Raw Materials and Production
Production work is centered around local ingredients. The bourbon mash bill is documented as 80% corn, 10% wheat, and 10% barley, with the corn locally sourced. Their rye uses a mash bill of 90% rye and 10% barley. The team took over stills and inventory from a previous J.K. Williams iteration and now distills and ages in a new facility in Peoria. The team has documented that they prioritize showcasing their own distilled spirits rather than selling young, sourced spirits, and a fixed practice is to give their own releases a minimum of four years of aging.
Aging and Barrel Types
Releases are stored in their own aging facility in Peoria, and management has decided on a minimum age of four years for their own bottles to ensure maturation. A concrete experiment planned for 2021 was an American wheat whiskey consisting of a blend of 16 barrels from the bourbon recipe, where the distillate was produced at a little over 160 proof, which means the blend is not classified as bourbon.
Whiskeys
Under the new owners, the distillery launched two core expressions at the end of 2020: Gold Zephyr Straight Bourbon and Stormy River Rye. Both are distilled and aged in-house and released with a minimum of four years of aging. The distillery also works on experiments and planned special releases, including an American wheat whiskey based on selected barrels.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Age | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Zephyr Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 4 years | Core range straight bourbon; mash bill is 80% corn, 10% wheat and 10% barley. Distilled and aged in-house, with a minimum age of four years. | Current; Core range |
| Stormy River Rye Whiskey | Rye Whiskey | 4 years | Core range rye whiskey; mash bill is 90% rye and 10% barley. Distilled and aged in-house in Peoria and released with minimum age of four years. | Current; Core range |
| American wheat whiskey (planned) | American wheat whiskey | Planned Summer 2021 release consisting of a blend of 16 barrels from the bourbon recipe; these barrels were distilled at just over 160 proof and are therefore not classified as bourbon. | Upcoming |
Philosophy and Craft
The distillery's values include historical authenticity, local sourcing, and patience in aging. They use a rediscovered recipe, prioritize locally sourced corn for bourbon, and have chosen to release only spirits with at least four years of aging while also seeking to experiment with new expressions.
Awards and Recognitions
- Gold Zephyr — Gold Medal (2020, Gold, Gold Zephyr Straight Bourbon Whiskey)