November 12, 2026
Barley and Waylon Jennings
Two cats, two floors, and their own way of welcoming visitors to a Kentucky distillery.
At Hartfield & Co., a distillery in Paris, Kentucky, the guest relations team is split between two floors. Barley hangs out on the third floor, keeping an eye on the aging bourbon barrels. Waylon Jennings has the second floor, where the fermentation room is, but he sneaks into Melissa’s office whenever he can. Each cat has a floor to call their own.
They both came to Hartfield to work as mousers, but these days, they’re much more interested in meeting visitors, collecting treats, and sometimes interrupting distillery tours.
Melissa C. Jurgensen, Hartfield’s executive assistant and, as master distiller Jeremy Buchanan calls her, the distillery’s “resident cat whisperer,” talked to us about the two cats and their daily lives.
How they got here
How did Waylon Jennings and Barley come to Hartfield, and how did they get their names?
Melissa: Barley was a stray kitten brought to the distillery to be a working cat about eight years ago, and Waylon Jennings was re-homed to the distillery about four and a half years ago when his owner was moving out of state and could not take him. Though both cats were brought in to be “mousers,” they quickly took over as Guest Relations Specialists and prefer pets and treats over hunting.
Barley was named for the grain that is a key ingredient in bourbon distillation, and also because of her unique, pale coat coloring. Waylon Jennings was named for the singer because his previous owner was a fan. However, it soon became clear to everyone at the distillery that Waylon has the over-the-top personality to match.
Two cats, two floors
What are their personalities like, and how do they get along?
Melissa: Barley is very sweet and demure, but she is also very opinionated, always having a lot to say. Waylon is a very gregarious gentleman who never meets a stranger.
Barley inhabits our third floor and watches over the aging barrels of bourbon, and Waylon’s home is in fermentation on the second floor, though he steals away to my office every chance he gets when the door to the fermentation room opens. Unfortunately, they do not get along, so they stay separated.
The morning routine
What does a typical morning with the cats look like for you?
Melissa: As soon as I enter the building in the morning, Waylon starts loudly meowing because he’s anxious to see me. His cries echo through our large brick building and sometimes can be heard outside! Barley is usually waiting at her third-floor door to greet me. As for morning routines, after I take care of their needs, I always sit on the top stair on the third floor because Barley MUST climb into my lap and receive belly rubs and pets. Waylon loves to chase the toys I throw around for him. Both cats expect a treat every morning.
Visitors and gifts
Do visitors come specifically to see them? And what kinds of gifts do they receive?
Melissa: The cats have recently received a hand-decorated gift bag full of treats and toys from a couple from northwestern Ohio who traveled through the area. Waylon and Barley’s photos are regularly shared on the distillery’s social media as well as the Distillery Cats Instagram page, and because of these postings, people have come in asking if they get to meet the cats when they tour. One visitor said she specifically stopped in Paris on her cross-country trip so she could meet Barley! This past weekend, two gentlemen who had visited the distillery multiple times before asked if they could see the cats again.
Barley is very much attached to me, while Waylon loves everyone he comes into contact with.
The cats are now featured on a t-shirt available in our gift shop, and also have their images on stickers.
On the job
What are some of the funniest things you’ve seen them do?
Melissa: Waylon gets very excited to see us, and at times so excited that he will start rolling around in the seat of whatever chair he happens to be lying on, and he’ll roll right off onto the floor. Also, there is a small hole in the floor in the fermentation room above the still, and sometimes Waylon will stick his head through that hole to meow at the people below who are on a tour. Barley likes to sit in front of visitors on tours and meow looking straight at them, as if she is leading the tour.
” Sometimes Waylon will stick his head through that hole to meow at the people below who are on a tour.
Before the workday begins
What’s your favorite part of looking after Waylon and Barley?
Melissa: We love having the cats at Hartfield & Company because it’s fun watching people light up when they see the cats, take their pictures, and give them attention. It’s also nice for all of us who work at the distillery to pause during our day and give some love to the cats, and receive it back. I come in early in the morning so I can see to the needs of the cats and just hang out with them for a bit before my own workday starts. It’s really a great way to start my day!
” I come in early in the morning so I can see to the needs of the cats and just hang out with them for a bit before my own workday starts.
Our thanks to Melissa for sharing Waylon and Barley’s stories, and to Jeremy Buchanan and the team at Hartfield & Co. for helping make this interview possible.
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