Pursuit Spirits announced the launch of the Mellwood Legacy Collection, a tribute to the distilling history of the site and the Mellwood brand. This new collection will feature revivals of vintage labels starting with Mellwood and Derby Town bourbons. 

Mellwood Distillery Co. was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1865 by George W. Swearingen. Located on Reservoir Avenue, which was later renamed Mellwood Avenue in its honor, the distillery grew to become a significant operation. Rectifiers like George Garvin Brown bought their whiskey from Mellwood to be blended, bottled, and sold. 

By the late 1880s, Rudolph Balke had become involved with the distillery, eventually serving as its president and held a leading role in the Bottled-in-Bond act of 1897. In 1899, Mellwood Distillery was acquired by the Whiskey Trust and, despite this change in ownership, the distillery continued to operate until National Prohibition forced its closure in 1918. 

Following the repeal of Prohibition, the former Mellwood Distillery buildings were taken over by Walter Leonard Borgerding, who established the General Distillers Corporation of Kentucky in 1933. Borgerding renovated the dilapidated facilities, installed new equipment, and resumed distilling operations by December 1935. General Distillers sold bulk whiskey and introduced their own popular labels. 

Distilling operations ceased in the 1960s, though bottling continued for a short time before the majority of the buildings were demolished by 1974, marking the permanent closure of the business. 

Pursuit Spirits is renewing the legacy of Mellwood Avenue. Every release in the Mellwood Legacy Collection will be bottled in 375ml hip flasks to tie old world charm with today’s modern aesthetic. Giving consumers a showpiece on the bar while having a connection to brands of the past. 

“It’s an honor to restore these labels,” Kenny Coleman, Co-Founder of Pursuit Spirits, said in a news release. “This is an opportunity to celebrate Kentucky’s bourbon heritage while introducing these brands to a new generation of whiskey connoisseurs. We paid attention to every detail.”

Mellwood Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon 

Mellwood Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is the first bottled-in-bond whiskey from Pursuit Spirits and is a nod to the original label of Mellwood Distillery Co. This 100-proof, 6-year-old bourbon adheres to the stringent standards of the Act, ensuring an authentic and exceptional experience. 

It was distilled from a mashbill of 78% corn, 12% rye and 10% malted barley, and it has an SRP of $29.99.

Derby Town Barrel Proof Bourbon 

Derby Town Barrel Proof Bourbon revives a brand once produced by General Distillers Corporation. This 7-year-old barrel-proof bourbon features graphics that embody the spirit of Louisville with horses, balloons, and fireworks that kick off the Derby festivities. 

The first iteration is bottled at 122.8 and the expression will vary by batch

It has a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley, and will be priced at SRP $49.99.

The Mellwood Legacy Collection is only available at the Pursuit Spirits Distillery and to P.Club members beginning on April 9th 2025. For a complete history of Mellwood Distillery Co. and General Distillers Corporation, featuring drawings, pre-prohibition artifacts, and more visit pursuitspirits.com and follow the links to learn more. 

Read more: Pursuit Spirits Launches P.Club Program

ABOUT PURSUIT SPIRITS

in 2018 by the creators of the popular podcast Bourbon Pursuit, Pursuit Spirits is rooted in providing an uncommon whiskey experience, created for those who know good whiskey. Today, Pursuit Spirits offers award-winning small-batch bourbon and rye whiskeys with Pursuit United as well as their single barrel product, Pursuit Series. For more information, visit www.pursuitspirits.com.