MACON, Ga. — Downtown Macon has plenty of spots to grab a drink, and Matthew LaHood is looking to add one more.
He wants to open a rye whiskey, rye-based absinthe and brandy distillery with a storefront on 2nd Street.
"Adding our twist to things, which might including rum barrels, beer barrels to give it a little twist people haven't experienced in a whiskey or a bourbon," said LaHood.
LaHood grew up in Kentucky -- the world's Bourbon capital.
"When you see great whiskeys, they're always around these water sources," said LaHood.
He says the Ocmulgee River makes really good whiskey. He's already brewed a few casks at a nearby distillery.
Developer Tim Thorton, LaHood's business partner, says they plan on making a trip to their distillery an experience, with mixology classes, tours, tastings, and a bar that features their spirits.
The distillery is just a block away from where Thorton plans to put two hotels.
"I like to be able to walk to dinner, walk to the nightspot and not have to move my car," said Thorton.
LaHood says it'd be the first rye whiskey distillery in Macon since Prohibition.
RELATED: Macon Bacon fans enjoy opening night
They hope to make a product they can sell throughout the downtown area and all over the country.
"We're excited to show that off in Macon. Not that we can just do it, but I think it shows Macon's heart and Macon's soul," said LaHood.
Thorton says they plan on opening the store front in around 12-18 months, and for now, they're still working on renovating the space and coming up with a name for their whiskey.