Corky Taylor

Corky Taylor is the Chairman & Founder of the modern Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company. In 2008, Corky Taylor retired to the beaches of Sarasota, Florida, following an illustrious career in business. 

Corky grew up as an army brat in Hawaii. Corky was regaled in his youth with colorful tales of his great-grandfather, Henry Kraver, the self-made entrepreneur who founded Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company. A collegiate golfer, Corky graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business from Murray State University and founded financial firm Bencor, Inc. in Louisville. After more than 20 years, he sold his thriving business and set his sights on a simpler life. 

He couldn’t stay retired long, fueled by a desire to honor the legacy of Henry Kraver and resurrect the family business. Corky felt that when he bottled that 1st rye was one of the most rewarding moments of his life. Corky soon after purchased a historic building from the 1890s, in the heart of Louisville, and set about bringing Peerless back to life. 

His son Carson, a builder by trade, revitalized the building and transformed it into a state-of-the-art distillery. Meanwhile, Corky spent 18 months procuring Kraver’s original distilled spirits plant (DSP) #50, a testament to the 4th-generation entrepreneur’s fortitude. Corky proudly opened the doors to his modern-day Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company in 2015 under DSP 50.