The story of Glynis and Rory Murphy,
and the history of Baldwin City Distillery and Orchard.
Our Founder’s Story
Our journey began in June 2009, when we purchased a little farm on the outskirts of the quaint, historic hamlet of Baldwin City, Kansas.
The farm became our refuge — a peaceful place to laugh and love, settle by the fireplace to read on snowy mornings, and delight in the smells of freshly mowed grass while nibbling wild blackberries we had happened upon along a summer stroll.
Discovering the Orchard
A quest to uncover what Mother Nature had hidden began when we pulled back her covers to reveal an old apple orchard treasure trove. Thrilled at our discovery, we reclaimed the unruly grove and tended the gnarled branches. From our passion, a dream was born — a vision to craft a truly authentic apple brandy, distilled from the fruits of our labor and the richness of the land.
Creating the Distillery
We threw ourselves into discovering obscure, vintage cider apple varietals that would grow in our little corner of the prairie and add nuance as we blended our unique apple brandy. As we grafted and tended our seedlings and young trees and perfected our recipes, we officially applied for a distiller’s license and the wheels were set into motion.
Our beloved old barn and its time-loved shop were revived back to life to house our micro-distillery, poised to transform the ruby and golden jewels gifted by our orchard into our exquisite creations.
The day our copper still arrived was an occasion to celebrate! And when we received our approval to distill, it was a momentous milestone. We were almost ready.
Our Shared Dream
And then, tragically, one of us was taken too early.
As if sensing the profound loss, the farm and the trees seemed to wrap the surviving partner in their embrace, overflowing with love and gratitude for what had been built together. Gazing at the stars one night, the beauty of what we had created was a powerful reminder that anything is possible if the intent is honest and pure. At that moment, a resolute decision was made to continue pursuing our shared dream.
We hope you enjoy tasting our small-batch spirits and our cherished apple brandies as much as we have loved nurturing our vision and crafting them for you.
Glynis Murphy, PhD
Co-Founder, Owner and President
Glynis received her undergraduate degree in Audiology and Speech Pathology from the University of Bombay. Collaborating with the Red Cross, she founded the first school for the hearing impaired in Goa (Shruit) before coming to the University of Kansas as a recipient of both Merabai Tata and R.D. Sethna Scholarships. Glynis received her Masters Degree from the University of Kansas and her Ph.D. in Communicative Disorders from Wichita State University.
Dr. Glynis Murphy was the Research Administrator and Coordinator at Psychiatric Associates.
Born in Africa, Glynis grew up in Uganda and later migrated to Goa, India with her parents. She recalls picnics as a child on the sun-dappled Kadamba plateau, where thousands of cashew trees overlooked the Mandovi River as it meandered toward the Arabian Sea.
One of her most cherished memories is the vibrant scene of her father embarking on a wild boar hunt, while the rest of the family gathered nearby in a lively swirl of activity. Her family were distillers, skilled in the ancient art of crafting cashew feni. They worked tirelessly, transforming the raw fruit into liquid gold.
Her family was renowned for its distilling craft, and each year, friends and family would gather at their home, eagerly awaiting the first taste of that coveted brew. The air would be thick with excitement as glasses were raised, and laughter echoed through the gathering. The rich, smooth feni was more than just a drink — it was a cherished symbol of warmth, friendship, and the bonds that brought them all together year after year.
Dr. William Rory Murphy
Co-Founder
Rory Murphy was a well-respected psychiatrist whose expertise, kindness, and dedication earned him the unwavering respect of both his colleagues and the countless patients whose lives he touched.
He attended medical school at the University of Kansas and was valedictorian of his medical school class. Rory’s fascination with human behavior led him to pursue training in both adult and child psychiatry at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas.
Rory founded his private practice, Psychiatric Associates, in Overland Park, Kansas, where he became known for his compassionate treatment approaches and advancing psychiatric care. He also spent years researching new medications in pursuit of more effective treatment for various psychiatric conditions, and he volunteered his time serving on the Medical Alumni Board of the University of Kansas.
In his spare time, Rory loved tending his apple orchard and was passionate about perfecting the craft of small-batch distilling.
Daryl Kleitz
Master Distiller
Master Distiller Daryl Kleitz has long had a passion for the art of distilling. What started as a passion for moonshining in the barn of his family’s farm gradually became a life’s work.
In 2014, after nearly two decades of hands-on experience refining his craft, Daryl opened his first distillery, Buck-U Distillery, which he operated for nearly eight years. His journey continued as he collaborated with local distilleries, including Bull Creek Distillery in Spring Hill. He later served as operations manager at Good Spirits Distilling in Olathe, overseeing the brand’s national distribution.
In 2024, Daryl brought his time-honed experience to Baldwin City Distillery, where he partnered with Glynis to help her bring her vision to life. Together, they have transformed her cherished orchard of vintage cider apples into a blossoming, thriving micro-distillery.
Daryl’s deep love for the distillation process, commitment to sourcing local ingredients, and dedication to craftsmanship are evident in the nuances of every bottle he creates. From rum and vodka to agave, whiskey, and Kansas’s first apple brandy, he plies his craft to distill, age, and blend unique, high-quality spirits, while creating an authentic Kansas farm-to-bottle experience.