About Us

Jacob Rieger opened the J. Rieger & Co. whiskey distributorship in 1887 in Kansas City's West Bottoms. Fortunately for the distillery, in 1881, the state of Kansas became the first state to outlaw the sale and consumption of alcohol. The West Bottoms neighborhood, which primarily falls on the Missouri side of the state line, quickly became known as "The Wettest Block in the World", as everyone would cross the state line to drink, dance, gamble and revel. This unique scenario allowed J. Rieger & Co. became one of the largest whiskey distributors in the country.