I love driving the backroads of Kentucky and soaking in the beautiful scenery, especially during the spring and fall when the weather is delightful. Recently, we decided to explore a part of the Bourbon Trail we hadn’t visited yet. We started in Paris at Hartfield, made quick stops in Maysville and Old Pogue, then headed over to Augusta before circling back home through northern Kentucky. It was a wonderful and enjoyable travel experience.
Our stop at Old Pogue was eventful. Old Pogue Distillery produces several small-batch bourbons that are aged in new American oak casks. Among their offerings, the Master’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon has earned a double gold medal in international competitions and has been described as “superb” by Wine Enthusiast. Their Five Fathers Pure Malt Rye Whisky has also received gold recognition in other contests. While Old Pogue is one of the smaller producers on the Bourbon Trail, it certainly piques interest.
Established in 1876, Old Pogue Distillery was founded when Henry Edgar Pogue, commonly known as H. E. Pogue I, purchased the Old Time Distillery from O. H. P. Thomas. The distillery is located along the southern banks of the Ohio River, which was known as Limestone Landing in Old Bourbon County, Virginia, before Kentucky became a state.
After Kentucky was formed from the western part of Virginia, Limestone Landing was renamed Maysville, a name it retains today. The original brand from Pogue’s Distillery was Old Pogue Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, which is the name it is known by today.
- E. Pogue I died in an accident at the distillery in 1890, and his son, H. E. Pogue II, took over. Tragically, he also fell victim to an accident at the distillery in 1919. At the time, H. E. Pogue I was serving in World War I in Europe, but he was allowed to return home to manage the family distillery after his father’s passing.
As history tells us, Prohibition began not long after Pogue III returned home. Although they continued to sell some stock for medicinal purposes, the impact of Prohibition was devastating, and operations ceased altogether in 1926. All remaining stock was shipped to the Louisville Warehouse Company.
After Prohibition, Pogue III sold the remnants of the distillery to Rose of Chicago in 1935. They subsequently produced a significant amount of industrial alcohol for the Department of Defense during World War II. Today, the distillery is once again in the hands of the Pogue family, now managed by the fifth and sixth generations of H. E. Pogue I’s descendants. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new distillery on the grounds of the original Pogue homestead in Maysville took place in 2012, more than 75 years after the sale of operations to Rose.
When you visit online, you’ll find experiences available at two different locations. Production tours are conducted at the distillery on the original Pogue property. To access it, enter at 705 Germantown Road, but be cautious—the entrance is steep and you might drive by it on your first pass. Your GPS may direct you to an entrance on West 2nd Street, which is gated off. Tours are by appointment only, so reach out to them using the contact information found on their website.
Alternatively, you can book the Old Pogue Experience at their Visitors Center and tasting room in downtown Maysville. This location functions more as a museum than a full-service gift shop, but they do have a small tasting bar where you can sample various Pogue labels. Experiences are provided at 15-minute intervals here. During our visit on a Saturday, we enjoyed viewing numerous bourbon-themed memorabilia, including the handwritten yeast mash recipe. This location is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both locations are stops on the B-Line, which serves as Northern Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail experience.
Mark Meade is the author of The Bourbon Journey, a travel guide that highlights our iconic bourbon distilleries and the experience of bourbon tourism. This column serves as a natural extension of the book. All rights reserved. For questions or comments, contact the author at mark@kentuckyjourney.com.
