In the heart of bourbon country, a legacy is being reborn. McBrayer Legacy Spirits has filed a new trademark for its upcoming release: “A Favorite of Old Kentucky”—a phrase that once graced advertisements for Old McBrayer Bourbon in the 1940s and 1950s. This revival isn’t just about branding; it’s a tribute to a deeper heritage, one that echoes through the hills and hollers of Kentucky’s bourbon past.
Reviving a Legacy That Began in 1870
The story of Old McBrayer Bourbon begins in New Market, Kentucky, where John H. McBrayer founded the Old McBrayer Distillery in 1870, registered as DSP #17. His cousin, William Harrison McBrayer, later purchased the distillery. Known as “The Judge,” WH McBrayer elevated Kentucky bourbon to international prominence, winning gold at the 1873 Vienna, Austria World Trade Fair, from his famous Cedar Brook distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, helping define Kentucky bourbon as a world-class spirit.
Today, McBrayer Legacy Spirits is honoring that lineage with a Bottled-in-Bond 8-year-old release for the Legacy Club, proudly bearing the phrase that once defined its place in the hearts of Kentuckians.
What Is “Old Kentucky”?
To understand the deeper meaning behind the trademark, we turn to whiskey historian Drew Hannush, author of Whiskey Lore: Experiencing Kentucky Bourbon. In his exploration of bourbon’s cultural roots, Hannush describes “Old Kentucky” not just as a geographic location, but as a symbol of authenticity, tradition, and storytelling.
“Old Kentucky” evokes a time when bourbon was crafted by hand, aged in rickhouses that breathed with the seasons, and shared among neighbors as a mark of hospitality and pride. It’s the era before industrialization, when distillers like the McBrayers were local legends and their spirits were woven into the fabric of everyday life.
Hannush also emphasizes that “Old Kentucky” is about terroir and tradition—the limestone-filtered water, the climate, the grains, and the people who shaped the spirit. It’s a phrase that conjures images of rolling hills, horse farms, and the quiet dignity of craftsmanship passed down through generations.
A Phrase That Resonates
By trademarking “A Favorite of Old Kentucky,” McBrayer Legacy Spirits isn’t just reviving a slogan—they’re making a statement. They’re aligning their brand with the values of craftsmanship, heritage, and authenticity that define Kentucky bourbon at its best. It’s a nod to the past, but also a promise for the future.
As Hannush writes, the real joy of whiskey isn’t just in the taste—it’s in the stories it tells. And with this new release, Old McBrayer is telling one of the best stories in bourbon: the return of a legend, steeped in the spirit of Old Kentucky.
