An Ex-Marine Turns Full Time to Distilling

After serving four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and two decades as a dairy farmer, Kim McLaughlin turned his longtime distilling hobby into a full-time career. When he lost his oil-and-gas job, he embraced the pivot and opened McLaughlin Distillery. He now maintains hands-on control of nearly every facet—from milling grain to aging spirits—crafting moonshines, bourbons, and whiskeys with unwavering dedication.

