At McLain & Kyne, there is no one going by either of those names, but it is run by Trey Zoeller, who founded the company in 1997 with his father Chet. The two wanted to carry on the tradition of their ancestors, the McLains and the Kynes, both of which have roots deep in the bourbon industry dating back to the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Zoeller bought an amount of bourbon from an anonymous distillery, and the brand specialises in ‘very small batch’ bourbon, blending around 12 barrels of whiskey. Jefferson’s Reserve and Sam Houston Bourbon were introduced in 1998. In October 2006, the business was acquired by Castle Brands.