Continuing the Kiln Whiskey legacy
The Kiln, for decades, possibly even centuries, this Hancock County town has been tied to stories of strong moonshine, hidden stills and the bootleggers who made them. During Prohibition, the pine forests and swamps around The Kiln weren’t just scenic, they were cover.
Stills bubbled deep in the woods, revenuers lurked on the outskirts and what locals called “Kiln Lightning” made its way across the Gulf Coast, infamous for its potency and prized for its flavor.
“The Kiln has always had this romance around whiskey,” said Matt Crittenden, owner of Crittenden Distillery. “People know it for moonshine, and we wanted to bring that history back, but in a way that celebrates it legally.”
Today, Crittenden Distillery is reviving that spirited tradition in The Kiln, turning local lore into a proud Mississippi-made product line known as Cut Above Whiskey.
A Legacy of Spirit
Crittenden opened the doors to the distillery just over eight years ago, but his inspiration reaches back much further than that. In the 1920s, The Kiln’s whiskey was so notorious that it traveled far beyond Hancock County. Old-timers tell stories of barrels buried to hide from the law, small-batch bourbon quietly aged but rarely sold and a culture where whiskey was both survival and craftsmanship.
Matt Crittenden, who grew up in Hancock County, felt that pull. “I’ve always loved the romance of moonshine and bourbon,” he said. “But I also wanted to see manufacturing come back to Mississippi and give people here something to be proud of.”
With a law degree from Ole Miss and a master’s in tax law from Georgetown, he also had the know-how to avoid the heartbreak that haunted generations of unlicensed distillers. “Legalizing it meant people would know this whiskey really comes from here.”
Building a Distillery, The Kiln Way
From the start, Crittenden Distillery has been a mix of vision, grit and community effort. Paperwork made them legal, but hard work made them whiskey makers.
Crittenden and his team made a deliberate choice to keep their dollars close to home. “We had fermenters made right here in The Kiln out of stainless steel,” he said. “I knew the guy with the welding shop. They had the skilled workers, and it just made sense to reinvest in our community instead of sending money out of state or overseas.”
Family and friends pitched in to help set up the stills and prepare the barrel house. It wasn’t just a business launch; it was a community project rooted in pride. “That’s been one of the most rewarding parts,” refelcted Crittendon. “The friendships I’ve gained over the last 10 years, some of those people have become family.”
From Shine to Bourbon
Crittenden Distillery’s first product was a nod to The Kiln’s legacy: Kiln Shine Pure Shine, a clear, unaged corn whiskey. It was a tribute to the town’s moonshining roots, but also a springboard. From there, the lineup grew quickly. Including rye whiskeys, bottled-in-bond bourbons and unique collaborations.
Their flagship brand, Cut Above Whiskey, is distilled grain-to-bottle on-site using Mississippi-grown grains. Every step—mashing, fermenting, distilling, aging, bottling—happens under one roof.
Perhaps the most talked-about release is the Toasted Pecan Bourbon, originally created as a small experiment but now one of the distillery’s most sought-after bottles. “It started with a friend joking around that we should make it,” said Crittenden. “They told me, ‘We’ll buy it even if it’s bad.’ But it turned into a huge success.”
Today, the annual release sells out quickly, and has become something of a cult favorite among both collectors and casual drinkers.
Whiskey with Imagination
While Cut Above’s core lineup stays true to tradition, Crittenden isn’t afraid to have some fun. In partnership with the Mississippi Sippers, a local group of whiskey enthusiasts, Crittenden Distillery launched the Cryptic Series, a line of limited-edition bottles named after mythical creatures. Past releases include Mothman, Lara (a Brazilian mermaid legend), BoRyRu and Catawampus. Each is a one-and-done experiment in blending and finishing, usually limited to about 1,600 bottles.
“It’s fun to play with,” explained Crittenden. “These releases are different blends, different finishes and when they’re gone, they’re gone. People love the collectability.” This fall, whiskey fans can look forward to Dogman, the fifth release in the series.
Recognition and Reach
Today, Crittenden products can be found in most major liquor stores across Mississippi and Louisiana. They also ship through Bourbon Outfitters to 45 states; though, ironically, Mississippi is not one of them due to state laws.
“Our best seller is the Bottled-in-Bond,” said Crittenden. “But the Toasted Pecan Bourbon is probably the most sought-after.”
Tours, Tastings, and Word of Mouth
For those who want the full experience, the distillery offers tastings Monday through Friday from 10:00–3:00 and monthly tours, announced on Facebook. Visitors can sample the lineup, see the stills in action and even pick up bottles next door.
But for Crittenden, the real goal goes beyond a transaction. “When people visit, I hope they walk away as brand ambassadors,” he said. “I want them to see that we do everything grain-to-bottle and that we make really good products. Word of mouth is the best advertisement you can have.”
Looking Ahead
With barrels quietly aging and new releases always on the horizon, Crittenden Distillery is just getting started. Matt hints at more creative blends, more Cryptic creatures and more seasonal offerings to keep shelves exciting. But at its core, the mission remains simple: honor The Kiln’s whiskey-making legacy while building something sustainable for the future.
“We’re manufacturers, we just happen to make whiskey,” said Crittenden. “But it’s about more than that. It’s about Mississippi. It’s about showing people that something world-class can come from here.”
Full Circle
From backwoods stills to award-winning bourbons, The Kiln’s reputation has come full circle. Once notorious for its moonshine, the town is now proudly home to a distillery that turns that same rebellious spirit into something refined, legal and distinctly Mississippi.
As Crittenden sees it, every bottle of Cut Above carries a little bit of history and a lot of heart. “We’re celebrating where we came from,” he said. “And we’re proving that The Kiln still knows how to make great whiskey.”