The Sad Tale Of How Maryland Lost Bourbon With A Local Distiller

HOLLYWOOD, Md. – On the 24th episode of The BayNet’s podcast, “Get Real with Chris & Mark,” Scott Sanders from Tobacco Barn Distillery revealed the untold history of Maryland’s connection to whiskey. 

Scott Sanders got his inspiration for distilling while serving as an Admiral in the Navy. 

“I ran the International Counter-Piracy Taskforce off Somalia for six months. And so, as gifts, I used to hand out bottles of bourbon,” said Sanders. “I became a very popular person in the Gulf of Aden.” 

Now he produces bourbon, rye, and rum from locally sourced ingredients on his farm in Hollywood, Maryland. 

During the episode, Chris and Mark enjoyed tasting Tobacco Barn Distillery’s best sellers while Sanders told stories of distilling past. 

“So, Basil Hayden was born over in St. Clements. His farm was down in Ridge. So he was making bourdon or whatever the precursors to bourdon were, but it was corn and rye back in the 1700s,” Sanders explained. 

Sanders said the Hayden family made their way to Bardstown, Kentucky, around 1785. 

“They tell people that’s the sad tale of how Maryland lost the bourbon,” Sanders exclaimed.

Sanders also mentioned that Jim Beam’s family is from Frederick, Maryland. 

With roots in Maryland, Sanders told Chris and Mark that Tobacco Barn Distillery uses rye in honor of Basil Hayden’s tradition. 

“We’re keeping it local. We try to bring the heritage back here to St. Mary’s County. A lot of people, they’ve heard little pieces of the story. There’s a huge Maryland to Kentucky society because everybody went over there,” emphasized Sanders. 

Sanders also shared an interesting tidbit: stuffed ham can only be found in the United States in Southern Maryland and Nelson County, Kentucky. 

Later in the episode, Sanders introduced their “Constellation Rum,” which they age on the U.S.S. Constellation at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. 

You can find Tobacco Barn Distillery spirits throughout the state.

Local establishments include Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis, California Wine and Liquors in California, Patuxent Wine and Spirits in Lusby, Port of Call in Solomons, Social Coffeehouse and Cocktailbar in Leonardtown, Total Wine and More in Laurel, Twist Wine and Spirits in Lexington Park, and Wildewood Wine and Spirits in California. 

For a complete list of where to buy and reservation information for the tasting showroom, visit: www.tobaccobarndistillery.com/

Get an inside scope of Tobacco Barn Distillery’s spirits in the full episode: https://youtu.be/d_IE7AfJCMA

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Once a week, Century 21 New Millennium Realtors Chris Hill and Mark Frisco ‘Get Real’ with topics surrounding life in Southern Maryland while showcasing local business tastings and highlighting hidden gems in the area.

You can watch or listen to previous episodes at: www.thebaynet.com/podcasts

If you’ve got a great podcast idea or an awesome business you want to be mentioned, email us at partnerships@thebaynet.com. We’d love to hear more about it!