Meet Five Women Distillers Blending Science and Tradition to Create Spirits Worth Savoring
Words by Nicole Letts
Heirloom Heritage
Master distiller Joyce Nethery and her daughter, Autumn, run Jeptha Creed, a Shelbyville, Kentucky, distillery that opened in 2016. The family operation grows all its corn within 10 miles of the distillery on their own farmland, including rare heirloom varieties like “Bloody Butcher”—a non-GMO, open-pollinated corn dating back to the 1800s. Joyce, a former chemical engineer who distilled industrial monomers before becoming a high school chemistry and physics teacher, brings technical expertise to the craft. Her husband farms the corn using saved seeds, while Autumn oversees marketing and sales after studying brewing and distilling in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she discovered the family’s passed-down Scottish phrase “Never Forget,” which ultimately inspired the company’s motto, “Don’t Forget Where You Came From. The distillery produces four flagship bourbons, including a red, white, and blue bourbon made with three corn varieties, with proceeds supporting veterans’ organizations. From seed to bottle, Jeptha Creed weaves together family history, local heritage, and a deep respect for Kentucky’s agricultural traditions.