Truman Cox Named Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman

Fredericksburg, VA. (Oct. 2011) – Truman Cox has been named Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman Distillery, taking over for Joe Dangler, who retired Oct. 1st, 2011.

Cox has been training under Dangler on site since July 1st, but has been preparing for this role for his entire life.

Born and raised in Northern Indiana, Cox grew up fascinated by his grandfather’s tales of driving “gin trucks” during Prohibition. After completing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Central Florida, Cox worked with such notable firms as Disney World and NASA at the Kennedy Space Center before moving to Iowa to begin his dream of working in the distilled spirits industry. There Cox worked as a quality chemist for one of the country’s largest beverage alcohol producers and spent time with some of the top sprits organoleptic experts.

In 2004, Cox took the position of lead chemist at Buffalo Trace Distillery and worked with distillery legends such as Elmer T Lee, Gary Gayheart and Harlen Wheatley. When Dangler announced his retirement from A. Smith Bowman in early 2011, Cox jumped at the chance to fulfill his dream.

Cox is excited about carrying on the Bowman family tradition of high quality products while introducing some new offerings as well. Cox will also be finishing up and opening the Visitor Center at A. Smith Bowman which is expected to be completed in spring 2012.

About A. Smith Bowman Distillery

A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition. In 1935, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition of the distillation of bourbon. The original distillery was located on the Bowman family homestead in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. In response to the rapid growth of Northern Virginia, the distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.