There are different versions to the story behind the brand name.

The brand’s distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, was built in 1910 with Spanish Mission-style architecture, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was originally called the Old Prentice distillery and was owned by J.T.S. Brown.

The brand was purchased by Seagram in 1943, then in 1999 to Vivendi/Universal, in 2001 to Pernod Ricard and Diageo before being purchased by The Kirin Brewery in 2002.