Today we’d like to introduce you to Raymond Butler.
He serves as the Master Distiller. He is 74 years old a Vietnam Veteran he started making illegal whiskey as a childhood chore. His family recipe always used the secret recipe sunflower seeds. Raymond Butler and his family only made whiskey to help provide for the family. Raymond Butler was arrested when he was 15 years old and completed high school on federal probation.
Raymond got married then soon after was drafted into the Army was stationed in Vietnam. We have 1 old picture of Dad making whiskey 3 days after he returned home after serving in Vietnam for over 1 year. In 2013 Raymond Butler’s Son, Chuck started the process to make a commercial distillery in 2013. In 2015 all permits and license were approved and Raymond started making his truly unique corn whiskey. After working and visiting with all of the liquor stores and seeing how over saturated the market is with small craft distilleries. Plans changed and Master Distiller said let’s get off the X. You cant stay still when things get bad you must move. People were always intrigued when we told them how we made our corn whiskey. We use Corn, Sunflower seeds and Malted wheat. We would have some people with Celiacs ask if we had anything gluten free. Raymond Butler said let’s give them what they want. Everyone was highly intrigued with our use of Sunflower seeds. We started making a mash bill that is over 65% sunflower seeds and less than 35% corn. For that reason, the TTB requires us to classify our brand TazaRay a spirit and not a whiskey. Because whiskey is made from grains and sunflower seeds are classified as a seed.
TazaRay is a very unique Gluten free and Georgia Grown aged spirit where all materials are certified NON-GMO. The master distiller spends his time checking the quality of the wash when we are distilling he samples every 5 gallons to approve each drop before we start the aging process. When our barrels are aging we sample and approve each barrel before we harvest starting at 8 months to 12 months. Everything we do a based on Taste first then color and odor.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Building a brand is very difficult. Limiting our business to only purchasing Georgia Grown materials is a burden. We care about our product and our state we are offering the best Sunflower spirit in the world. We constantly seeking to partner with Georgia businesses to offer our product.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am the Master Distiller where I make and approve every drop of liquor the way my family always did. We purchase our raw materials Sunflower seeds and corn locally. We get malt most of it at our location, dry it out the use an old stone mill to meal it and cook it. We use fresh malt to activate fermentation. This is a long slow process but it is what separates us from others in the industry. Everything is based on taste first, if we don’t approve the taste it will not be placed in a barrel to age.
I am also very proud that my Son Chuck Butler Jr. He started this business where most look at all the legal requirements decide to not do this. He was able to complete all the paperwork himself and he worked very hard to do that. In 2017 my son spoke with a friend and decided to except Vann Brown in as a partner. Most people don’t know how much time and work my son put into this business from 2013 to 2017 all by himself. So I am a proud Father and Grandfather where I am able to work with my Son and my grandson.
What were you like growing up?
I was born in November 1942. I was the oldest of 6 children. So work was a big part of my life and our family helped make work fun. We raised as much tobacco as allowed then corn, potatoes, wheat and then vegetables for us to eat. We also raised livestock to use on the farm. We also fished and went hunting and always cooked food and shared with everyone in our family.
I can remember when everything was rationed like sugar, but also things like fuel, tires and shoes. So I went barefooted most of the time and when I got a gift of clothing we took care of it. Making whiskey was fun, the hard part carrying the materials to the still site. The still operated by fire so keeping the fire going at the proper heat showed some attention at times but for the most part, I look back and smile.
I had a great time. Some people thought we may not have had a lot of money but we had a great life. We went hunting all the time or fishing. We may work in the tobacco or corn field all day but then we would go to the river fish and swim. I was taught to work and enjoy it and be grateful for the day. I have worked to teach my Son this and my grandson this.
Pricing:
- TazaRay and TazaRay Red can be purchased at most liquor stores in Georgia between $28.99 to $32.00
- Raymond’s Reserve 111 and Raymond’s Reserve Cinnamon 82 proof sold $25 at the distillery
Contact Info:
- Address: 109 E Morris ST
- Website: www.daltondistillery.com
- Phone: 7064832790
- Email: chuck@daltondistillery.com
- Instagram: dalton.distillery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaltonDistillery111/
- Twitter: @Daltondistiller
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/r2r/ezyLWYXCZKrGyDKPMyJ26A
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LoF1p0dI9T8dAZ8F1ijEw?view_as=subscriber
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