Rob Taylor, Whiskey Distiller: Sourcing Local Is a Priority

Diesel engine not running right? Need help combining? Looking for help in how to master the sales industry? Rob Taylor can help with all those things. Taylor believes in being good to people in whatever way his diverse background can offer. And part of that means sourcing local, whenever possible, to expand personal relationships and enhance rural communities.

Taylor and his wife, Dr. Christi Taylor, own Honey Hill Event Center in Osceola, Iowa. The complex includes the couple’s creation, Revelton Distillery. Revelton is a continuation of what Rob Taylor learned as an Iowa farm boy: stay connected to the land and support those around you.

He can use his skills as a diesel mechanic or jump in to help at harvest on the combine to assist a friend in need. And as a business owner looking to build up the community of 5,500 people around his distillery, he will buy products and supplies as close to his operations as possible.

“Why don't we start a distillery in Iowa and source all of our corn and all of our rye right here from southern Iowa?” Taylor told American Farmland Owner from the main longue inside Revelton, “which is what we did.”

Rob Taylor’s bio:

• Honey Hill Event Center (includes Revelton Distillery) – Co-owner

• Excelerate Strategies Training & Consulting – Owner

• Former state legislator – 2013-2019

• BG-Beller Distributing of Iowa – Former Sales Director/Lead Trainer

Buying Local

The decision was foundational to Revelton’s business model. While the movement to “buy local” has swept across the food and beverage industries in recent years, Taylor emphasized that authenticity is key. “If you're going to buy local, support local, you better be able to back up what you're saying,” he said.

Revelton broke ground on November 1, 2019, and despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distillery opened in December 2020. From the beginning, Taylor reached out to local farmers — many of whom he had longstanding relationships with, either personally or through family — to ensure that Revelton’s supply chain was rooted in southern Iowa soil.

“I went out and found three really, really great farmers that had great grain, great farming techniques, and a lot of conservation built into their farming,” he said.

Taylor sources all his corn from a farmer in Grand River, Iowa. The rye comes entirely from a farmer in Lenox, Iowa. The relationship is personal and collaborative — Taylor even helps with the rye harvest.

Taylor said of the arrangements that the farms, “have been integral not only to establishing Revelton but also in creating a foundation where we support them. They support us, and they grow as we grow.”

RELATED: Supporting local is important for this farmer who moved to the Midwest after a different career on the West Coast.

Iowa Distillery Hopes to Avoid Higher Tariffs

While not everything can be sourced locally — barrels still come from Kentucky and glassware from overseas — Taylor applies a “tree ring” approach to all sourcing decisions. “The first question I ask is, can we buy it in Osceola?” he said. “If the answer is yes, we buy it in Osceola. Sometimes it's a little higher price than in Des Moines, but… the only way we’re going to build our business and businesses in Osceola is sourcing here.”

If Osceola can’t supply it, Taylor expands the search incrementally: first to nearby counties, then statewide, then the Midwest, and only then does he go national or international.

This methodical sourcing strategy even extends to Revelton’s international partners. The company imports bottles and corks from Italy and India, where the Taylors have developed personal relationships. The arrangement has become a two-way street. “We buy our bottles and corks from them, they buy our bourbon and rye whiskey and mulberry gin from us, and we send it to Italy,” Taylor explained.

RELATED: This supporter of organic farming explained to American Farmland Owner last June how the industry hoped to overcome the challenge of inflation on its growth.

Despite global economic uncertainties like tariffs, Taylor remains committed to this model. “The unfortunate part is… the only person at the end of the day that pays for the tariffs is the consumer,” he said. “I see these tariffs as temporary. These temporary tariffs will have to come back into check again, or we're going to crash our entire world economy.”

In the face of these challenges, Taylor’s philosophy remains steadfast: build local, buy local, and grow together. It’s a mindset that not only strengthens rural economies but also ensures a level of quality and accountability that global supply chains simply can't match.

“Treat people the way you wanted to be treated,” Taylor said, “…or better.”