Cathead Distillery

Cathead Distillery opened in 2010 in Jackson, Mississippi—the first legal distillery in the state since Prohibition ended there in 1966. (Mississippi was the last state in the country to repeal Prohibition, a fact that gives every bottle a certain historical weight.) Founders Austin Evans and Richard Patrick are lifelong friends and avid blues fans who built the distillery as a love letter to Mississippi culture, from the Gulf Coast to the Delta.

The name "Cathead" is borrowed from blues tradition. Mississippi musicians coined the term as a compliment—a nod to artists they respected, someone with genuine craft and character. It shows up throughout Mississippi folk art, and Evans and Patrick adopted it as the perfect expression of what they were trying to build: a distillery rooted in respect for the state's culture and creative legacy.

That cultural commitment has translated into real product quality. Cathead was named a 2020 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Spirits Producer, which is a serious designation in the food world. Their spirits line covers a lot of ground—from the flagship Cathead Vodka to Bristow Gin (clean and botanical), Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur (unique and genuinely Southern), and Old Soul Bourbon (a precise high-rye blend with notes of vanilla, dried cherry, and rye spice). The bourbon blends Mississippi-distilled whiskey with Indiana-sourced spirit, aged and hand-selected the old-fashioned way—by nose and palate.

The distillery operates out of downtown Jackson at 422 S. Farish Street, with a gift shop, bar, and tours. If you're in the area, the Cathead Bar runs Friday-Saturday evenings and tours are available Tuesday through Friday. They're not a ghost brand with a contract distillery somewhere else—Evans and Patrick still run the operation, still deeply involved.

Products

• Cathead Vodka (flagship)
• Cathead Honeysuckle, Satsuma Mandarin, and Raspberry Vodkas
• Bristow Gin and Bristow Gin Aged Reserve
• Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur
• Old Soul Bourbon Whiskey
• Cathead Sparkling (canned cocktails)

Why We List Them

• Independently owned and operated by founders Austin Evans and Richard Patrick
• First and oldest legal distillery in Mississippi
• 2020 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Spirits Producer
• No corporate parent, no private equity—still a founder-led operation
• Deeply embedded in Mississippi blues and cultural history
• On-site distillery, bar, and tasting room in downtown Jackson