J.H. Bards Spirit Company

A bartender and a banker walked into a bar . . .

When Jayson Hudson and Jason Hardy, both natives of Blacksburg, VA, moved home to the New River Valley region of Virginia in 2017, they started a local whiskey club called the Bourbon and Rye Drinking Society, or BARDS. Over the next several months they had many whiskey-infused conversations about how great it would be to start their own distillery and be able to bring their vision of good whiskey to the area. From these conversations, J.H. BARDS Spirit Co. was born.

As an Appalachian distillery located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we believe that our local focus (90% of our ingredients are sourced in Southwest Virginia) and commitment to our mountain heritage shine through in our products.

Our mission is three-fold:

• to create exceptional spirits from locally produced and sourced ingredients.
• to provide education on the history and current trends in the distilled spirit business.
• to impart in others an appreciation for both the culture and science of whiskey.