Rebel Yell Bourbon, like all fine bourbons, is steeped in tradition. Fourteen years prior to the great battle at Chickamauga, Georgia, the bloodiest single event of the Civil War, W. L. Weller founded our distillery and produced his first bottle of bourbon. Since this glorious day Rebel Yell Bourbon has become a staple among bourbon enthusiasts across the south. It has acquired almost a cult following because it personifies the South both in name and character.

Distilling has been a tradition of the W.L. Weller family back to the early days of this country. Famous for being the first distiller to produce Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey using "wheat" instead of "rye" in the mash bill, descendants of W. L. Weller have continued this practice in a number of bourbon brands. This ingredient substitution makes the recipe uniquely smooth and richer than traditional bourbons.

Alex Farnsley, one of the owners of the Stizel-Weller distillery, had a nephew, Charles P. Farnsley, who was a well-loved politician, but had nothing to do with the family business - whiskey. A one-time Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, Charles was described as being the most remarkable leader in the city’s history. According to The Kentucky Encyclopedia, he was a disciple of Thomas Jefferson’s philosophies, as well as those of Confucius. In this spirit, he worked for the general good; instituting a fund to support the arts, paving streets and building parks. Though he was thought to be somewhat eccentric – rarely seen without his black string tie – he was also recognized as an astute politician who understood that all aspects of life, cultural through big business, were dependant on one another. In keeping with this philosophy, Charles made a striking move towards embracing his family’s legacy by suggesting that a unique kind of bourbon should be created to embody this passion for the Southern culture.