Neeley Family Distillery, located in Sparta, Kentucky, carries on an 11-generation legacy of whiskey-making that began in 1740, when Irish immigrant James Neeley settled in Eastern Kentucky. For centuries, the family operated as moonshiners and bootleggers, with a colorful past that includes feuds, raids, and a 1906 shootout involving 14-year-old Leonard Neeley. In 2015, Royce Neeley, at just 23, brought the family tradition into legitimacy by founding the Neeley Family Distillery near the Kentucky Speedway. Built by hand and rooted in tradition, the distillery uses sweet mash fermentation, open-top cypress fermenters, and triple copper pot distillation. While known for its bourbon, rye whiskey, and moonshine, the distillery also produces a standout absinthe. Crafted in small batches using a restored 1890s French absinthe still, Neeley’s absinthe follows old-world methods and botanical recipes to create a spirit that’s rare in the U.S. and celebrated for its authenticity.