Founders of Black Feather Whiskey, Rod Dyrdek, Travis Pastrana, and Jeremy Rawle, wanted to create a modern American Bourbon Whiskey that welcomes and embraces all levels of whiskey drinking with an eye on a younger demographic.
“We are definitely going after a millennial demographic, equally men as much as women,” Rawle told BeverageDaily.
“Whiskey and bourbon are just as much a women’s drink as they are a men’s drink.”
The company is in the process of setting up online distribution with an eye on expanding in-store distribution to California and Colorado next.
‘Accessible’ bourbon
Priced at $30 per 750ml bottle, Black Feather Whiskey aims to be an accessible bourbon that offers a premium drinking experience.
“In terms of flavor profile, I think we can go toe-to-toe with bourbons that are well above our price point,” Rawle said.
The whiskey is made from two hand-picked allotments from Indiana and bottled in Houston, Texas. At 86-proof the first sip has a “kick” to it, but the flavor profile then even outs to a “smooth ride” with a sugar-char finish, the company said.
“We see it as premium, but not precious,” Rawle said. “I will fight to the end to keep it at a price point that makes it a daily drink that people are proud to pull off their shelf instead of just eye candy that’s collecting dust.”
Creating a lifestyle brand
The founders are leveraging their media expertise, which includes launching shows on MTV to create a lifestyle brand through content series that catches the attention of a variety of people even non-drinkers, Rawle said.
The company launched its “State of Music Series” on YouTube to weave Black Feather Whiskey into the “Americana” music culture through videos featuring up-close performances and interviews of musicians.
Another video series, to be released soon, will feature a modern-day hat maker, using hat-making techniques from the 1800s, Rawle added.
Its content media strategy is meant to reflect the brand’s ethos of being “inspired by the past but made for today.”