State of Franklin

The stories behind our brands are as intriguing as the spirits they offer. Just as sipping a whiskey can evoke welcome memories and present a range of luscious notes, so too can a story bring to life another dimension of experience.

Our home state of Tennessee became the 16th state of the USA in 1796. But, some years earlier, in a community wedded to the former Cherokee land known as the Cumberland River Valley, a group of pioneers were determined to control their own destiny. In 1786, led by John Sevier, a Revolutionary War veteran, four counties declared their independence from emerging Tennessee and North Carolina, and named their state ‘Franklin’.

Reflecting that bold defiance honed within the wild Appalachians, the founder of State of Franklin whiskeys sought to craft a spirit worthy of its namesake. Using only local non-GMO corn, wheat, rye, and barley, the whiskeys are rooted in Tennessee soil with a story as fertile as the land itself. After five years in the barrel and bottled at 92 proof, State of Franklin Sour Mash and Rye deliver the character and independence that defined Sevier and his followers.