Liberty’s 250th:

Liberty’s 250th:

A Kansas-Born Tribute to America’s 250 Years

By SpectraGraphics | Customer Spotlight Series | July 2026

A New American Milestone

Two hundred and fifty years ago, a group of determined colonists put quill to parchment and signed their names to one of the most daring documents in human history. The Declaration of Independence didn’t just announce the birth of a nation, it lit a fire of liberty that has never gone out. As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of that world-changing moment on July 4, 2026, communities, artisans and makers across the country are finding their own meaningful ways to honor two and a half centuries of independence, resilience and the American spirit.

In Baldwin City Kansas, a quiet, historic, prairie hamlet about 30 miles southwest of Kansas City, one such tribute is taking shape inside a beautifully renovated red barn and it’s bottled at proof. Baldwin City Distillery and Orchard has crafted Liberty’s 250th Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a limited commemorative release dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s a spirit steeped not just in corn and oak, but in patriotism, craftsmanship and an unwavering belief in what American-made truly means.

At SpectraGraphics, we had the honor of bringing that vision to life through the label and the story behind this bottle is one we’re proud to tell.

The Baldwin City Distillery Story

Every great spirit has a great story behind it and Baldwin City Distillery’s is one of the most compelling in the Kansas craft spirits landscape.

It begins in June 2009, when Dr. Glynis Murphy and her husband, Dr. William “Rory” Murphy, purchased a small farm on the outskirts of historic Baldwin City, Kansas. What started as a refuge and peaceful place to laugh, love, and settle by the fireplace on snowy mornings soon revealed a hidden treasure: an old, overgrown apple orchard waiting to be reclaimed.

The couple threw themselves into restoring the orchard, planting obscure heirloom cider varietals, grafting seedlings, and dreaming of the day they’d distill those ruby and golden apples into something extraordinary. An old barn was lovingly renovated. A copper still arrived. A distiller’s license was secured. Kansas’s first authentic farm-to-bottle apple brandy was born.

Then, tragically, Rory was taken too soon. But Glynis, bolstered by the land, the trees, and the stars over the Kansas prairie made a resolute decision to carry their shared dream forward. Today, she leads the distillery as Co-Founder, Owner and President, guided by the same spirit of love and purpose that first inspired the orchard.

She invested in a Master Distiller, Daryl Kleitz, a seasoned craftsman with nearly two decades of distilling experience — from perfecting his craft on a family farm to opening Buck-U Distillery, collaborating with local Kansas City-area operations, and serving as operations manager at Good Spirits Distilling in Olathe. Daryl’s commitment to sourcing local ingredients and his precise, patient approach to distillation make him the perfect fit for Glynis’s vision: authentic, Kansas-grown spirits crafted with integrity.

The distillery’s tasting room has quickly become a destination a place where stories are told, ideas are shared, and the prairie sky stretches endlessly outside the barn doors. The accolades have followed: Baldwin City Distillery was named Best Newcomer by the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce in 2025, and has been featured by Whiskey Outpost, The Maple Weekly, The Bourbon Neanderthal, and Live from Jasper’s Kitchen, among others.

Introducing Liberty’s 250th Bourbon Whiskey

The Inspiration

When Dr. Glynis Murphy and Master Distiller Daryl Kleitz began discussing a commemorative release for the nation’s 250th anniversary, the choice to craft a bourbon was both deliberate and deeply meaningful. Bourbon is America’s native spirit defined by federal law to be produced in the United States. Creating one to honor the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence wasn’t just a product decision; it was a statement of values.

The back label captures that spirit without equivocation. It carries the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, the most recognized words of the Declaration of Independence “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” and a simple declaration: “God bless the United States of America and protect our Constitutional Federal Republic.” This is not a bottle that hedges. It knows what it stands for.

Production & Flavor Profile

Liberty’s 250th Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a 3-year-old, 99% American corn bourbon, bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) in a 750ml bottle. Distilled in Indiana and bottled by Baldwin City Distillery in Kansas, it follows the high-corn bourbon tradition, the same mash style that gave America some of its most beloved and approachable whiskeys.

A 99% corn mash bill produces a naturally sweet, smooth spirit with all the warmth and richness of corn forward on the palate with a soft, round character that makes it as welcoming to newcomers as it is satisfying to seasoned bourbon drinkers. The spirit has drawn warmth and structure typically yielding sweet aroma with notes of candy and corn.

Limited Edition Significance

Like all meaningful commemorative releases, Liberty’s 250th is not a permanent fixture on shelves. It is a moment bottled in time crafted specifically to honor July 4, 2026, and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Baldwin City Distillery will release only 250 bottles of this limited-edition bourbon, underscoring the rarity and significance of the occasion.

For bourbon enthusiasts and American history collectors alike, a limited release from a young, award-winning Kansas craft distillery tied to one of the most significant anniversaries in American history represents exactly the kind of bottle worth seeking out: meaningful, local, and genuinely made.

The Label: A Tribute in Print

The Design Story

At SpectraGraphics, we have spent more than 50 years understanding a simple truth: your label is the first conversation your product has with the world. Before a single sip is taken, the label sets expectations and speaks to quality, craft, and the values behind the bottle. For a release as meaningful as Liberty’s 250th, the label needed to rise to the occasion. Designed by Jim Langford of langfordcreative in Kansas City, Missouri, it does exactly that.

What greets you when you pick up Liberty’s 250th is unmistakably American. The deep crimson and navy palette, the colors of the flag, is paired with rich gold typography that commands attention without feeling loud. Star motifs and metallic gold and white stripe bands frame the top and bottom, echoing the familiar rhythm of Old Glory. At the center, the bold “LIBERTY’S 250TH” set in heritage inspired letter forms gives the bottle a sense of history and purpose, while the gold seal and the “FINE HAND CRAFTED SPIRITS” mark at the base signal the craftsmanship within.

The arch shaped label panel, outlined with gold rule lines and flanked by repeating star details, brings structure, balance, and a sense of permanence. It has the look of something built to endure, much like the ideals this anniversary celebrates.

B. Material & Craftsmanship

At SpectraGraphics, we believe the material choices behind a label are just as important as the artwork itself. For a commemorative release like Liberty’s 250th, we brought our full expertise in premium label materials and decorative finishing to the table because a bottle that’s built to become a keepsake demands a label that lasts as long as the memory.

SpectraGraphics offers an extensive array of decorative label options from metallic inks and foils to embossing, estate papers, and specialty films to help spirits brands create packaging that stands out on the shelf and in hand. The Liberty’s 250th label reflects the careful, hands-on approach we take with every beverage label, designed to deliver both visually and practically.

In the spirits industry, the label does extraordinary work. Consumers make purchasing decisions within seconds of encountering a product on shelf. For a limited edition commemorative release, the label carries an additional burden: it must communicate rarity, quality and meaning at a glance.

For Liberty’s 250th, the label isn’t just packaging it’s part of the gift. It’s what makes this bottle worthy of display on a mantle long after the last pour.

The SpectraGraphics×Baldwin City Distillery Partnership

How the Collaboration Began

Dr. Glynis Murphy first reached out to SpectraGraphics in September 2024 after being referred by High Plains Distillery and together we began working through the specifications for her first Baldwin City bottle: Vodka, Rum and Agave, which shipped in October 2024. From there our relationship continued to grow. What the distillery needed was a label printing partner who could match their standards, someone who understood that for a limited commemorative release there is no room for compromise. With over 50 years of experience in custom label printing and deep expertise in beverage labels specifically, SpectraGraphics proved to be the right partner at the right time.

Bringing the Vision to Life

Producing a label like Liberty’s 250th is a collaborative process one that requires close communication, technical precision, and a genuine investment in the client’s vision. Our Graphics team worked closely with Sales Executive Brent Weberto translate the distillery’s creative concept into a finished label that could stand alongside the spirit inside the bottle. From material selection to press approvals, every decision was made with one goal: a label that does justice to a bottle built for 250 years of memory.

Shared Values

What makes this partnership more than a transaction is how much Baldwin City Distillery and SpectraGraphics share not just geography, but values.

Both are proudly American-made. SpectraGraphics has been family-owned and Kansas City-based since 1974, producing labels for brands across the country without ever losing sight of what it means to be a local, solutions-driven partner. Baldwin City Distillery is as Kansas as it gets: a farm, an apple orchard, a copper still, and one family’s unshakable dream. Both believe that quality is not a feature it’s a foundation. And both take genuine pride in the work that goes into every single label, every single bottle.

Behind the Scenes: Craft Meets Craft

There’s a moment in the production of any premium label when the work stops being manufacturing and becomes craft. It’s when the press is dialed in just right, the registration is locked, and the first finished label rolls off looking exactly as it was imagined and maybe even better.

That’s the moment SpectraGraphics lives for. And it’s the same feeling when a barrel finally hits its mark when a spirit that’s been quietly aging in oak has developed the depth and complexity that only time and patience can produce.

Craft meets craft. Two teams, separated by 40 miles of Kansas prairie, united by the same commitment to getting it right.

The Final Result: A Bottle Worthy of the Anniversary

Hold the finished Liberty’s 250th Straight Bourbon Whiskey in your hands, and you feel the weight of intention. The bottle itself is substantial a clean, modern square-shouldered silhouette that gives the label maximum real estate to do its work. The deep crimson-to-navy gradient of the label catches any light in the room, and complements the bourbon inside that surrounds it while the metallic gold lettering and star-and-stripe details reward close inspection.

On the shelf, it stands out not through gimmick or flash, but through the unmistakable quality of thoughtful design and expert execution. It’s the kind of bottle that tells its story before it’s opened, and tells another one after the last sip is gone. A commemorative piece worthy of the 250th anniversary it honors: bold, American, and built to be remembered.

Where to Find Liberty’s 250th Bourbon Whiskey

Liberty’s 250th Straight Bourbon Whiskey is available at the Baldwin City Distillery tasting room at 1747 N. 200 Rd., Baldwin City, KS 66006 and through a growing network of retail partners across the Kansas City metro area and beyond, including locations in Kansas City, Lawrence, Lenexa, Leawood, and Manhattan, Kansas.

Use Baldwin City Distillery’s store locator at baldwincitydistillery.com to find a retailer near you or better yet, make the drive to Baldwin City, settle into the tasting room and let the Kansas prairie do the rest.

A Toast to 250 Years

Two hundred and fifty years of independence. Two and a half centuries of Americans rolling up their sleeves, building something from nothing and refusing to stop when it gets hard. You can hear that story in Glynis Murphy’s voice when she talks about the orchard she and Rory reclaimed together and in her quiet resolve to carry their dream forward when she had every reason not to. You can taste it in the spirits created by Daryl Kleitz, distilled with years of patience and the kind of commitment to craft that can’t be shortcut.

And, if we may say so, you can see it in the label.

At SpectraGraphics, we’ve been partnering with brands for over 50 years to ensure their story is told right from the first impression on the shelf to the last label on the last bottle of a limited run. We are honored to have played a part in the Liberty’s 250th story, and to have put our craftsmanship in service of something this meaningful.

Here’s to Kansas. Here’s to American craft. Here’s to 250 years and whatever comes next.

Ready to give your brand a label worthy of its story? Contact SpectraGraphics at spectragraphics.com | 913.888.6828 | info@spectragraphics.com 14701 W. 106th Street, Lenexa, KS 66215