Bill Welter graduated from Missouri State University, in four years of literature on the Division 1 golf program, and in the spring of 2000 he left for Scotland to work and learn more about the game of golf and its origins. Working at the Old Course Hotel, Bill meets Greg Ramsay, from Tasmania, the two make friends, and develop a common passion for Scotch Whiskey, the partnership lasts a lifetime.

In 2001 Bill returned to the United States to work in the family business with his father. And in the same year Greg also leaves Scotland. The latter opens the award-winning Barnbougle Dunes golf course, but then comes up with the idea of transforming an old grain mill into a distillery in his hometown of Bothwell, Tasmania.

Bill leaves for Tasmania to see Barnbougle, but also to visit Greg's Distillery site, and to gain hands-on experience of the technical side of distillation. He then expanded his knowledge in the summer of 2010 by working with Master Distiller, Robert Birnecker, distilling the first and only batch of Rye whiskey in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood.

Bill and Chuck Welter team up to buy the central part of the Featherbone Factory, and immediately begin renovating what would become the Journeyman Distillery.

Completed the works in 2011, distillation begins and the tasting room opens to the public. The distillery has added new products today and is proud to use the highest quality grains sourced from organic farmers in the Midwest. Distillate distribution begins in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and New Jersey, but are now booming around the world.