Jose Calderon of Everglades Distillers sold his house to create a whiskey dream in one of the least likely places you’d expect to find a distillery: the Florida Everglades. He’s a former Special Forces operator who spent 20 years traveling through Latin America, and now he’s making some of the most interesting craft whiskey I’ve tasted in a long time.
I sat down with Jose recently at Warren’s American Whiskey Kitchen (no relation) in Delray Beach, Florida. Jose went all in and built something special from the ground up.
His path reminds me that the best whiskey stories are about bringing unexpected experiences and perspectives to an industry that needs fresh thinking.
A Green Beret’s Unlikely Path to Florida Whiskey Making
Jose grew up in Florida, couldn’t wait to leave, and joined the military a few days after graduating high school. He served 20 years with the 7th Special Forces Group.
He traveled extensively in Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, and Mexico. He worked with local special forces units and immersed himself in different cultures. And everywhere he went, he encountered unique distilling traditions.
He didn’t pay much attention to those processes at the time. He was focused on his mission, on serving, on doing what needed to be done. But those experiences were building a knowledge base he didn’t even know he was creating.
After he retired from the military, he did contract work for a while, essentially continuing the same kind of missions he’d been running on active duty. Then one day, his cousin’s husband asked if he wanted to open a distillery. Jose said yes immediately.
A couple of years later, his cousin and the cousin’s husband decided to opt out. Jose and his wife looked at each other and decided to keep going. They put everything they had into the opportunity.
Aging Whiskey in the Florida Everglades
One question I always ask craft distillers across the country is about aging. How does your climate affect the process compared to Kentucky?
Jose’s distillery has 3,000 square feet of aging space. It’s not a massive eight-floor rick house with half a million barrels like you may see in Kentucky. But it’s what they need right now.
Jose believes that Florida’s extreme swings in heat and humidity improve the aging process. Kentucky has high heat, too, but Jose thinks it’s the changes between heat and cold that cause the most interaction between the alcohol and the wood. He doesn’t do temperature control; rather, he lets nature do what it does.
It reminds me of a trip I took to Kentucky, where I visited Maker’s Mark. They were running steam through the rick house, warming it up and cooling it down repeatedly to force the liquid deeper into the barrel wood and pull out more flavor. They are trying to create what natural forces couldn’t.
Using Moonshine Corn
When Jose and his family decided to open Everglades Distillers, they had to figure out what to make. Jose always wanted to make whiskey and bourbon, but from a financial perspective, that takes time. He needed something to sell right away while his aged spirits matured.
So he started with vodka, which doesn’t require aging. That gave him a product to put on shelves immediately while waiting for his whiskeys to age.
They cooked or fermented watermelon, rice, potatoes, and more. Everyone in the family tried everything and voted on what they liked best. Corn won, but they had grown more than 30 different species of corn in their backyard. In the end, they settled on a red corn native to North Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. It’s an old moonshiner’s favorite from way back. It makes what Jose calls a fabulous whiskey, and after tasting it, I have to agree.
Building a Family Distillery
Everglades Distillers is a family operation. Until recently, they haven’t hired any full-time employees. It’s Jose, his wife, and their son running the show. When they need extra help, Jose’s brothers and sisters come over.
They put in 12-, 14-, and sometimes 16-hour days. The distilling process alone takes at least 12 hours from the time they turn the machines on until the last drop comes out of the still.
When they’re not distilling, they’re handling all the other tasks. They’re also running the commercial side of the business. Jose’s son heads up the sales and marketing department. He knocks on doors, trying to get restaurants and bars to at least try their product and hear their story. It’s been working. They’ve doubled sales every year since starting.
Commonly Asked Questions with Jose Calderon of Everglades Distillers
How does Florida’s humidity affect whiskey aging?
High humidity in Florida slows evaporation, which means less “angel’s share” loss compared to Kentucky’s drier climate. However, Florida’s extreme heat accelerates the whiskey’s interaction with barrel wood, potentially achieving in three years what might take five or six years in cooler climates. The trade-off is that distillers need to monitor their barrels to prevent over-oaking. This can happen more quickly in intense heat and humidity.
Can you make bourbon outside of Kentucky, or does it have to be called something else?
Bourbon can legally be made anywhere in the United States, not just Kentucky. The name “bourbon” refers to the production process and ingredients, not location. It must be made from at least 51% corn, aged in new charred oak barrels, distilled to no more than 160 proof, and contain no additives except water. While 95% of bourbon comes from Kentucky, distilleries in Florida, Texas, New York, and other states produce legitimate bourbon.
What’s the advantage of using 100% corn instead of a traditional bourbon mash bill with rye or wheat?
A 100% corn mash bill creates a smooth, sweet whiskey with less spice than traditional high-rye bourbons. Corn contributes sweetness and a creamy mouthfeel. Without rye’s peppery notes or wheat’s softness, the corn’s character shines through more clearly. This approach works well for flavored whiskeys, as the corn provides a neutral-sweet base that complements additions like honey or chocolate without competing flavor profiles.
How long should craft distillery whiskey age before it’s ready to bottle and sell?
While traditional wisdom suggests bourbon needs at least four years, craft distilleries in hot climates can produce great whiskey in two to three years due to accelerated aging. Some craft distillers release whiskey at 18 months if it meets their quality standards, while others wait four or five years. Climate, barrel size, warehouse conditions, and the distiller’s vision all influence the optimal aging period.
What should consumers look for when evaluating craft whiskey versus established brands?
Here’s what I do: I look for craft distillers that openly discuss their mash bills, aging process, and whether they distill on-site or source spirits. Plus, I look for special characteristics that tell me something about if and how they use local ingredients or special techniques. And I always taste the whiskey myself, and never rely on medals, ratings, or what someone else is saying.
Breaking the Rules on Location, Commitment, and Corn
Jose’s story different:
He’s a Special Forces veteran who absorbed distilling traditions from multiple Latin American countries without even realizing he was building knowledge for his future.
He makes whiskey in the Everglades, using a climate most distillers would consider a disadvantage. The traditional bourbon story takes place in Kentucky or maybe Tennessee. It involves generations of family tradition and massive investment from corporations or wealthy individuals. It follows well-established recipes and aging protocols.
The red corn he mashes is not the same corn everyone else uses. It’s an old moonshiner’s favorite that makes a distinctively sweet, smooth whiskey.
Everglades Distillers is also a family operation doing craft whiskey, not a major corporation doing mass-produced spirits.
From Special Forces to Craft Whiskey: Final Thoughts on Jose Calderon’s Everglades Distillers
Everglades Distillers represents something important in American whiskey culture. It shows that you don’t need to be in Kentucky to make excellent whiskey. You don’t need generations of family tradition. You don’t need millions of dollars in startup capital.
If you want to see what Jose and family are doing now and next, check them out on the Everglades Distillers website. And visit their on-site tasting room in Immokalee, Florida.
See our full podcast with Jose Calderon at whiskeyshenanigans.com. And for more conversations with fascinating people in the whiskey world, check us out on Instagram @whiskeyshaniganspodcast