The History of J W Dant.
J W Dant History
1836 - Joseph W. Dant fashoins a still out of a large Popular
tree log and begins to distill whiskey at Dant's
Station Kentucky (Spirits, 1936, Filson Club).
o - J W Dant grew his own grain and hand picked the
choicest grain for his whiskey and then made his own
cooperage (Spirits, 1936).
o - J W Dant had seven sons (including J B Dant of
Yellowstone) who all were in the distilling industry
(Spirits, 1936, Filson Club).
1854 - J B Dant makes the first barrel of Yellowstone
(Spirits, 1936, Filson Club).
1870 - J W Dant builds a modern distillery at Dant's Station
(Spirits, 1936).
1896 - Dant distillery is incorporated (Spirits, 1936).
o - George Dant begins to study distilling under his father
and brothers at the Dant distillery (Spirit, 1936).
o - George W Dant is the secretary and treasure for the new
company. He continues to work for the company until it
is closed during prohibition (Spirits, 1936).
1911 - The Mida's Financial Index, 1911, list the Dant Distillery as Dy. No. 169, 5th Dist. Dant, Ky. with a capital value of $30,000 t0 $40,000.
1912 - J B Dant opens a Taylor and Williams distillery at
Gethsemane to make Yellowstone (History of Nelson
County, Distilleries).
1920 - Prohibition forces the Dant distillery to close
(Spirit, 1936).
1920 - 1933 - J W Dant uses A Ph Stitzel's warehouses to store
their whiskey during prohibition. Stitzel buys some of
their prohibition supply from Dant (UD Archives,
Uncataloged Items).
1934 - The Gethsemane distillery is sold to Timkin Roller
Bearing Company who open it as Dant and Head (Hist.
Nelson Co., Distilleries).
1936 - Dant distillery re-opens with George W Dant as Plant
manager (Spirits, 1936).
1940 - National Distillers purchase the Gethsemane distillery
(Hist., Nelson Co., Distilleries).
1944 - Arm and Hammer purchases the Gethsemane distillery who
run it as United Distillers of America (Hist. Nelson
Co., Distilleries).
1952 - Schenley acquires the Dant Gethsemane, Kentucky
distillery (Bev Med Blue Book, History).
1957 - J W Dant "Charcoal Perfected" is introduced (U D Archive, Uncataloged press release).
1968 - Dant experiments with special decanters for their bourbon (Kovel's bottles, Dant).
1987 - United Distillers acquires Schenley (C Morris,
15/11/91).
1993 - United Distillers sells the J W Dant Brands to Heaven Hill (M. Veach, 3/93).
Mike Veach