Buried Bourbon
From Beam to Pappy to Weller, many bourbon legends can be found in this Louisville cemetery
All photos by Sara Havens except where noted
It started off just like every other day since lockdown began: I cracked open the blinds to let the morning sunlight trickle in and wondered what the day held. Even without the demands of a full-time job, I still make lists so I can partake in that subtle satisfaction one gets by crossing off tasks.
Wash the dog.
Mow the yard. Dust.
Vacuum.
Write.
Walk.
Eat.
Bourbon.
That’s about as complicated it gets these days, so I was thankful to hear from a friend who proposed a leisurely walk — 6 feet apart, of course — in Louisville’s scenic Cave Hill Cemetery. Cave Hill is one of the largest private, nonprofit cemeteries in Kentucky and hosts many of the city’s famous folks, from fried chicken legend Col. Sanders to the GOAT Muhammad Ali.
There are about 16 miles of paved roads amongst the cemetery’s 296 acres, so it’s an ideal place to escape for a few hours. Cave Hill also is one of the country’s top arboretums, as it features more than 500 types of trees and shrubs, contains five lakes and an underground spring, and yes, there actually is a cave on the premises.
As a Louisville resident for nearly two decades, I am ashamed to admit I’ve only been to Cave Hill a handful times. For someone who gets lost easily, it’s intimidating. Plus the fear of the gates shutting at 5 p.m. induces nightmares. Luckily, my walking buddy Maggie Cassaro, knows the cemetery well. Her parents are buried there, and she often showers various graves — friends, family and strangers — with rose petals. She also enjoys playing tour guide for curious out-of-towners.
This day, I was one of those curious cemetery walkers, and she was happy to show off the history, beauty and secrets of the expansive space. Since it dates back to 1848, you can imagine the vast company Cave Hill keeps, including both Union and Confederate soldiers from the Civil War.
Within the cemetery gates
As we strolled along, catching up on each other’s current stagnant situations, I spotted a familiar name I see just about every night I open my liquor cabinet — W.L. Weller. I wondered if it was that same Mr. William Larue Weller who first decided to make his bourbon with wheat instead of rye in the mashbill back in the 1850s. I took a quick picture and added it to my list of things to check into.
Next, we stumbled upon a tall monument that read “Van Winkle.” A closer look revealed it was indeed the infamous Van Winkle family, including Julian P. “Pappy” himself. I was thrilled to have crossed paths with my bourbon heroes that day, and I vowed to do more research and come back.
I found several more on return trips — from George Garvin Brown, who was the first to put his beloved bourbon Old Forester into a bottle, to Four Roses founder Paul Jones — and I believe I have only scratched the surface on hunting out all the bourbon legends at Cave Hill. I suppose time is on my side at the moment, so I shall return, equipped with a map, a flask and my trusted walking buddy.
courtesy Cave Hill Cemetery
A brief gravestone location guide
Below are the bourbon industry pioneers I discovered in the cemetery thus far, and a little bit about what makes them notable. Plus, I included the sections where they can be found, should you find yourself six feet above ground at Cave Hill’s wrought-iron gates. There’s also a free app available on the website that’ll help you locate the legends, and help discover more to visit.
William Larue Weller — July 26, 1825-March 23, 1899
Section 5, Lot 308
W.L. Weller is credited with making the country’s first wheated bourbon in the 1850s. He also hired Julian “Pappy” Van Winkle to work for his whiskey trading business, William Larue Weller & Sons, on Louisville’s Main Street (according to the Whiskey University blog). Weller’s motto was, “Honest whiskey at an honest price.” After his death in 1899, the company partnered with A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery, eventually creating the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville that has re-opened under the ownership of Diageo. The W.L. Weller brand of bourbon is made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky., which is owned by Sazerac.
Julian Proctor “Pappy” Van Winkle — March 22, 1874-Feb. 16, 1965
Section 30, Lot 5
As noted above, W.L. Weller hired “Pappy” Van Winkle in 1893, giving this bourbon legend solid footing in the industry. Pappy went on to acquire the A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery with business partner Alex Farnsley, and they later merged with W.L. Weller & Sons to create the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. According to the Buffalo Trace website, the makers of one of today’s most highly sought-after bourbons, Pappy’s motto was, “We make fine bourbon at a profit if we can, at a loss if we must, but always fine bourbon.”
Arthur Phillip Stitzel — March 19, 1875-April 13, 1947
Section 26, Lot 113
Arthur Phillip Stitzel was a distiller who ran A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery, making products like Old Fitzgerald and W.L. Weller (for W.L. Weller & Sons). According to the “Encyclopedia of Louisville,” he later merged with “Pappy” Van Winkle and Alex Farnsley to open the Stitzel-Weller Distillery on Derby Day in 1935.
Frederick Stitzel — 1843-Sept. 18, 1924
Section 11, Lot 76
Although you might not be familiar with Arthur’s older brother Fred, you’ve seen his key invention if you’ve visited any distillery. In 1879, Frederick Stitzel created the barrel ricking system that is still used to age barrels throughout the world.
George Garvin Brown — Sept. 2, 1846-Jan. 24, 1917
Section A, Lot 398
George Garvin Brown revolutionized the bourbon industry in 1870 when he and his half-brother, J.T.S. Brown Jr., decided to sell their bourbon in a glass bottle to ensure its quality. George worked as a pharmaceutical salesman before getting into the family business, so he championed for quality and consistency above all else. Thus, Old Forester was America’s first commercially bottled bourbon. Later George split from his half-brother and partnered with accountant George Forman, according to the Old Forester website, leading to the creation of Brown-Forman, a family-run spirits business that continues today and owns brands like Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniel’s, BenRiach Scotch and more.
George Forman — Aug. 7, 1844-Nov. 18, 1901
Section 3, Lot 27
It’s the tale of two Georges, as accountant George Forman of Paris, Ky., comes onboard with George Garvin Brown to eventually create Brown-Forman, now one of the country’s largest spirits business, according to the Brown-Forman website.
J.T.S. Brown (Jr.) — 1829-1905
Section 1, Lot 84
George Garvin Brown’s older brother, John Thompson Street Brown Jr. was in the whiskey business long before GGB joined, according to Whiskey University, but together they sold Old Forester, their blended bottled bourbon, under the company name J.T.S. Brown & Brother. After their split, GGB went on to form Brown-Forman with his accountant, while J.T.S. went into business with his sons, fittingly under the name J.T.S. Brown & Sons. At their distillery, they created brands like J.T.S. Brown (still produced today by Heaven Hill Distillery), Old Prentice and Old Lebanon Club.
Paul Jones — Sept. 6, 1840-Feb. 24, 1895
Section 5, Lot 1 (Vault)
Paul Jones is the founder of Four Roses bourbon, having relocated from Atlanta to Louisville’s Whiskey Row in 1884. According to the Four Roses website, he trademarked the name in 1888 but claimed he produced and sold the bourbon since the 1860s. Even though some historians claim he named his brand after a Southern belle, Jones was a bachelor his entire life, as pointed out by the Pre-Pro Whiskey Men blog. Jones has one of the most elaborate gravesites of this bunch, having left money in his will for the construction of a fancy Southern antebellum mausoleum.
Thomas Jeremiah Beam — July 6, 1899-May 2, 1977
Section 33, Lot 59
T. Jeremiah Beam was Jim Beam’s only son, and he went to work for his father at the distillery at the ripe old age of 13. “Jere,” as he was called, later went off to college, and after the end of Prohibition, he rejoined the family business and helped his father build the Jim Beam Distillery that is now located in Clermont, Ky. After his father’s death, according to the Beam website, Jere continued to grow the brand both nationally and internationally, and he opened a second distillery in Boston, Ky., which is still used today. Jere’s grave sits right near Col. Sanders in Cave Hill.