‘After all, it’s in his blood’ – Jefferson County Local Opens Distillery In Hartford

Darrell Miller, Owner of Bootlegger’s Distillery
Staff Photo by Kim Myers

A Jefferson County local has opened a distillery in Hartford, TN. Darrell Miller was born and raised in Dandridge, Tennessee on a small dairy farm. While he was raised in Jefferson County, his travels took him far from the hills of Tennessee. Miller’s career path found him overseas, teaching internationally. When he returned to the area he pursued one of his passions and one of Tennessee’s favorite pastimes, football. During his tenure at coaching, Darrell spent time in Hamblen, Cocke and Jefferson County. In time, Miller was drawn to an entirely different passion of brewing, another of Tennessee’s favorite pastimes,which came as no surprise.

After all, it’s in his blood.

Tracing back to William Mullins, a passenger on the Mayflower reportedly known for his elixirs, Miller’s ancestry is filled to the brim with experienced brewers and shiners. Darrell’s father’s family, the Millers, were German immigrants that appreciated and mastered the art of producing and harvesting the finest grains. Darrell’s mother’s side, the McCoigs, have roots in Sevier County as moonshiners, with his grandfather, Roy McCoig, passing down the family pastime. Roy was an avid shiner and operated out of the Forbidden Caverns.

Darrell has dreamed of opening a distillery for some time, though he met with opposition during his first attempt approximately eight years ago. At that time, doing so was illegal through the state. Over the next few years this legislation would be fought for the exceptional tax benefits that such business could grant Tennessee. Finally, Darrell Miller has achieved his dream in Hartford, Tennessee, a location rumored to have had more moonshine distilleries per square mile than any place in America during Prohibition. Darrell invites everyone to come and experience his heritage firsthand. He currently has three flavors under his Bootleggers label: a 100 proof, an 80 proof, and a peach flavor.