Master Distiller
A passion for whiskey
Everyone here at JK Williams has a passion for what we do. We are whiskey aficionados and cocktail enthusiasts, and we’re always coming up with exciting ideas for new spirits and drinks. Whether it’s a twist on an existing flavor or a new product entirely, we never stop coming up with new things to try.
But you can’t just bottle passion or creativity — someone has to figure out what combination of grain, water, flavors and garnishes will make that new drink a reality. That’s where our Master Distiller, Jeff Murphy, comes in.
Jeff’s story is one JK Williams himself would be proud of. He got his start as a brewer before the age of 21 while serving as a medic in the Navy. During one stay in port, grateful Marines slipped Jeff his first craft beer, and before long he was operating a tiny craft brewery out of his locker. That 5-gallon fermenter may not have been a bootleg whiskey empire, but it was fueled by the same spirit that kept distilling alive during Prohibition.
Over the years, Jeff followed his passion and worked for a brewpub in Singapore and brewed professionally with Asia-Pacific Breweries there for a few years.
Upon returning to the United States, Jeff made the jump from brewing to distilling, first in whiskey and vodka and eventually in rum. After nearly a decade in the business, Jeff was put into contact with our team and he moved to Peoria in September 2020.
Today, Jeff runs our distillery, turning the ingredients we buy and the ideas we have into the drinks we sell and serve. He oversees everything from milling and cooking grain to filtration and quality control to barreling and bottling finished products.
Whenever you open a bottle of JK Williams liquor, you’re tasting the result of years of experience and dedication to the craft — and a passion for distilling that’s still going strong after more than 100 years.