The Rebellion

You have probably heard of The Boston Tea Party, but what do you know about The Whiskey Rebellion? There’s a little more to our name than candle making.

Whiskey’s value has been recognized long before our founder took the bottle from the bar. During the American Revolutionary War, Whiskey was often used as currency. Many small farmers and large distillers took part in producing Whiskey for the public. It was highly sought after and easy for farmers to produce with their surplus of grain.

By the time the Revolutionary War ceased, many of America’s newly-formed states had incurred debt. Their solution?

The Whiskey Tax. 

The Whiskey Tax was an excise that was placed on all spirits by the federal government in order to pay off debts from the war, Whiskey being the most popular. It was unreasonably high, and especially strenuous on farmers. Producers were angry and non-compliant.

Refusal to pay taxes led to excise collectors, and excise collectors led to violence. The Rebellion began.

We will spare you the details, but the effort to end the tax was pursued with fury by the effected producers. Washington sent in the federal militia as a response. Opposition continued, and the rebellion officially ended when the tax was removed at the beginning of Jefferson’s presidency. The Whiskey Rebellion is remembered as one of the first tests of authority with our newly formed government.

 

The passion for Whiskey and spirits alike burns on through our candles. After indulging in beverages that early Americans rebelled to keep accessible, we preserve the art that is their bottles. In our pursuit to preserve the environment, we also preserve a piece of American history.