Exciting Updates From Wyoming’s First Legal Distillery In Kirby

There's big and exciting news out of Kirby, Wyoming. Not something you normally hear, right?

Kirby owns a spot in Wyoming's history for sure, being the home of the state's first legal distillery, Wyoming Whiskey. I was instantly drawn to the town because we share the name, Kirby. Then, after my first trip to Kirby, I became an instant fan of Wyoming Whiskey.

Wyoming Whiskey was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kate Mead, together with partner David DeFazio, with production beginning in 2009. Using the finest corn, winter wheat, winter rye, barley, and water sourced from the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming Whiskey proudly showcases the state’s natural and human resources.

I've been a huge fan of the brand since the early 2010s, and I enjoy going to Kirby anytime I'm in the area to catch up with the folks at the WW tasting room. From the first sip, I was a fan, and I have a full supply at the house whenever I need my Wyoming Whisky fix.

Drew Kirby, Townsquare Media

A couple of years ago, in 2022, we celebrated with the Wyoming Whiskey gang for the Outryder 10th Anniversary Edition. While we were there, we toured the distillery and attended the release party, where we met with the co-founder, David DeFazio. In our initial meeting, he shared the ins and outs of the whiskey.

One of the things that was a bit of a bummer at the time was that Wyoming Whiskey wasn't 100% Wyoming-owned. Edrington, the Scotland-based spirits group behind The Macallan, one of the world’s most decorated single malt Scotch whiskies, invested in Wyoming Whiskey in 2018. During its partnership, Edrington worked alongside the Wyoming Whiskey team to refine and elevate the distillery’s production processes, resulting in some of the finest whiskies the brand has ever produced.

Through that partnership, Wyoming Whiskey has grown into a major name in the whiskey game. The brand has received critical acclaim for many of its bourbons, including last year’s Buffalo Bill Cody release, which was named best Non-Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon by the World Whiskies Awards in 2026. The company has also just released State of the Union, a 6-year bourbon that celebrates America’s 250th anniversary and Wyoming’s role in the national story.

I'm excited to report that ownership is now back in Wyoming, thanks to the WW Partners, LLC. Led by co-Founder David DeFazio, the acquisition marks a new chapter for Wyoming Whiskey.

Moving forward, Wyoming Whiskey will re-commit to its roots and return to the culture and constitution that made it the whiskey of the West and a staple of the Rocky Mountain whiskey category. We are proud to honor the contributions of our partners at Edrington and look forward to introducing the trade and consumers to a Wyoming Whiskey that represents the very best of what this brand has always been capable of.

As part of its forward strategy, Wyoming Whiskey will return to its partnership with Nancy Fraley, the preeminent Master Blender and spirits alchemist responsible for the creation of Outryder, 10th Anniversary Edition, and countless other award-winning whiskies.

It's certainly great news from Kirby, Wyoming. If you haven't been, now is a great time to support Wyoming Whiskey.