Latest news with #HeritageDistillingCompany
USA Today
04-07-2025
- General
- USA Today
Heritage's canned cocktails review: They actually hit their moving target
Canned cocktails are a mixed bag. For years, the bar for these drinks was "well, it's better than nothing." A rising tide of hard seltzers and a general market shift away from beer helped improve quality, but there's still a hit-or-miss quality to the genre. That's especially true if you're trying to go beyond the classics. That's the line Heritage Distilling Company is walking. The Washington-based booze maker has put its craft spirits into custom cocktails in hopes of expanding its reach and making its vodkas, gins and bourbons easier to bring to a tailgate or beach. Did they hit that moving target? Let's see what we've got. Peachy Bourbon: A- I'm tackling this one in the ideal canned cocktail scenario; on a hot summer day at the pool. With a quick toss upside-down, we're ready to drink. The can is lightly carbonated. The smell off the top is peach rings and a little oaky goodness. The first sip is all those things. Bright peach, a little sweet bourbon and just enough bubbles to move things along. The fruit juice is tangy and sweet but feels more authentic than you'd get in a seltzer. The whiskey is minor, but blends well with those flavors. It's refreshing and crushable. If there's a downside, it's a sugary sweet finish that lingers a touch too long. A drier ending would be nice, but this remains a vibrant, easy to drink cocktail. That could be a bit of a problem since each can clocks in at 6.9 percent alcohol by volume. Three of these and swimming would be an issue. But, all said, it's a very solid drink -- especially for the summer. Gin Jam Fizzzz: B+ I'm drinking this one in another classic summer situation; post grass-cutting on a 90 degree day (and, admittedly, after crushing an Urban Chestnut Zwickel while standing barefoot on a freshly mowed lawn with two happy dogs around me. This was Dad Valhalla). I'm gonna try this one over ice, which leads to a surprising revelation. Gin Jam Fizzzz (cool name, I hate it) pours almost transparent with just a hint of earthy brown to it. That's weird for a drink that talks up its berries and jam content, but sure. It smells sharp, with the acid of the raspberries inside cutting through the gin wafting off the top. The first sip is... well, there's a lot going on. That jam flavor is front and center, mixing with the gin to give off refreshing summer vibes. Toward the end you get a little bit of herbal mint -- that's not on the cocktail description, but it sure feels like it's there. It's not overwhelming, but it signals the shift from "taste" to "aftertaste." You're left to linger on that a while, but it's pleasant and welcomes you back in for more. It's sweet but instead of balancing things out with dry or sour, you get just a hiccup of fresh herbs to bring everything together. It's a layer I didn't expect, especially considering how straightforward the Peachy Bourbon was (in a good way). That finish does dent the replay value a bit. This isn't a crushable hot day cocktail. It's a refreshing sipper. But Heritage managed to make it feel like a multiple step cocktail fresh out of the can, and that's no small challenge. Blood Orange Vodkarita: B Like the Fizzzz, this pours with an effervescent blast of carbonation. It's a light orange color and smells exactly as advertised with orange juice and vodka flavors. That combo is its own, different cocktail, so hopefully this vodkarita is bringing something new to the table. There's a little bit of Grand Marnier/margarita vibe, but I'm picking up more thin screwdriver/fuzzy navel from this than your standard Cinco companion. It's fruity, sweet and boozy. That's about all there is to it, but it's never excessive in any one direction, doesn't burn and is a can you could put down in about four minutes on a hot day. The label hangs its hat on being "extra refreshing" and that's a fair assessment. It's not reinventing anything despite an intriguing label, but it grows on you. While it lacks some of the complexity of Heritage's other canned cocktails, it still holds up fine on its own. Bonus! Heritage Blood Orange and Huckleberry flavored vodkas: B It's tough to judge flavored vodkas on anything more than their ability to a) taste like candy and b) hide the booze within. That's not throwing shade. Lord knows I've drank more whipped cream vodka and Mountain Dew cocktails than any grown man should (it tastes like Sour Skittles. No, I do not understand why). The Blood Orange brings bright, sweet citrus flavors that blend seamlessly with a powerful mixer or stand alone against the backdrop of tonic. In fact, that's a pretty breezy two-step summer cocktail on its own; I'm just mad at myself for not having tonic on hand. Or limes. Huh. The Huckleberry hits a blueberry/blackberry/grape center point that brings more sugary sweetness but lacks the fuller flavor of the orange. It's a little more boozy but, again, blends easily into a lazy person's cocktail. Both are easy sells for simple, crushable drinks. But both clock in at only 60 proof, which could be a deal breaker for some. Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's? This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I'm drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That's the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm's. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Heritage's canned cocktails over a cold can of Hamm's? Yes. Heritage has something for both my drinking modes -- more complex craft cocktail vibes and crushable, boozy drinks. It hides its ABV well and brings bright, crisp flavors to the table. There's a lot to like here. This is part of FTW's Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Heritage Distilling moves into black in 2024
Heritage Distilling Company achieved profitability for the first time in 2024, the US spirits producer has announced. The company generated a net income of $710,458 last year, versus a net loss of $36.8m in 2023. Net sales rose 5.4% to $8.4m. The growth was driven by a 28.8% increase in product sales, which Heritage Distilling said was largely due to the launch of the Special Operations Services product line in 2023. Gross profit dipped by 1.4% year-on-year to $2.2m. The company also achieved positive EBITDA for the first time, with that metric reaching $4.5m, compared to a loss of $32.8m in 2023. Heritage Distilling co-founder and CEO Justin Stiefel said: '2024 was a transformative year for Heritage. We successfully transitioned from a private company to a publicly traded company with our IPO in November, marking our debut on Nasdaq. 'This move strengthened our balance sheet, significantly reduced our liabilities, and put us in a position to grow significantly.' Alongside achieving profitability last year, Heritage also entered Colorado, Kentucky, and Oklahoma and introduced new products. Looking ahead, the spirits maker said it anticipates incurring operating losses and increased operating expenses as it invests in inventory, digital marketing. The investment is intended to support the online direct-to-consumer sales of its 'high-margin' Salute Series line of 'super premium' whiskeys and overall business growth, the statement added. In February, the company secured a $15m equity line of credit, gaining 'access to more capital to help sustain and accelerate its growth'. Additionally, management identified over $1m in annualised expense reductions for this year, following more than $1m in cost savings already achieved in 2024, as part of its efforts to become 'more efficient, preserve cash and focus on products and activities leading to sustained profitability'. Stiefel added: 'With a solid financial foundation from which to build, Heritage is poised for continued expansion in 2025, with preliminary first quarter 2025 results already looking promising.' In December, Heritage Distilling appointed two drinks industry stalwarts to board roles. Former Starbucks COO Troy Alstead joined the company's board of directors while Andrew Varga transitioned from his role as chief revenue officer to become director. "Heritage Distilling moves into black in 2024" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Heritage Distilling Co. Announces Sell Out of First Run of 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima Bourbon; Announces Passing $200,000 Raised for Military Charities
Heritage to Commence Second Run of Salute Series 'Battle of Iwo Jima: 80th Anniversary Edition' Bourbon in Response to High Demand Heritage Distilling Company GIG HARBOR, Wash., Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heritage Distilling Company, Inc. ("HDC" or "Heritage" or the 'Company') (Nasdaq: CASK), a leading craft distiller of innovative premium brands, announced that in response to its initial release of 2,200 bottles of its Salute Series: 'Battle of Iwo Jima: 80th Anniversary Edition' in partnership with the Marine Raider Foundation (MRF), it will be releasing one final batch of 2,000 bottles commemorating the battle, which took place over five weeks between February 19, 1944 and March 26, 1944. 'The response to our initial release of 2,200 bottles of this 80th Anniversary bourbon commemorating the Battle of Iwo Jima was greater than we anticipated, selling out in a matter of a few weeks. Given the response and request for more, we've elected to complete one final run of bottles to service the expressed requests for our customers,' said Sara Kellerman, military veteran, co-founder and vice president of Heritage Distilling Company's Salute Series line of spirits. In just the first three weeks of sales from the initial bottling run, the product generated nearly $200,000 in retail sales value and nearly $20,000 in donations for the Marine Raider Foundation to support their mission of addressing unmet needs, building resiliency and preserving the legacy of Raiders, past and present. 'This latest release under our Salute Series line of products shows we are able to create compelling products that resonate with active duty and retired military and first responder communities,' said Justin Stiefel, CEO and co-founder of Heritage Distilling. 'The margins on this product line are industry leading, led by our direct-to-consumer route to market, followed by the increasing demand we are seeing from the wholesale distribution channel as word of the product grows. This approach allows us to direct a significant portion of the sales to carefully vetted non-profit charities who do great work every day to support our active duty and retired military and first responders and their families.' The Salute Series is the first-of-its-kind spirits line branded and marketed for the people on the front lines, those who have retired from previous service and their families. The Salute Series brand stands as its own full line of premium whiskies and bourbons in the broader HDC portfolio, and is the fastest growing piece of the Company's volume and revenue. Each label is geared towards specific operators in the military and first responder community, allowing those who have been on the ground, or worn specific badges or insignias, to claim as their own the product that speaks the most to them and tells their story. Each bottle sold raises money for non-profit charities supporting the military and first responder communities. Since the launch of the Salute Series, more than $200,000 has been raised for these worthy charities under HDC's program. The latest 80th Anniversary of Iwo Jima bottle hints at the iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning image of the American flag on Mount Suribachi, a symbol of American resilience and determination, while focusing on the intensity of the warriors who were on the ground executing the mission. Exclusive features of the 'Iwo Jima: 80th Anniversary Edition' include: Bottled at 'Howitzer strength,' this 105-proof straight bourbon whiskey has been aged for 5 years, offering a bold and robust flavor profile. The label features exclusive art by Michael Solovey, whose work helps bring the Salute Series to life. The design reflects the black volcanic ash that covers Iwo Jima, tying the whiskey to the battle's historical context. Customers who purchase two bottles will receive a frameable lithograph by Michael Solovey titled 'GUNG HO,' inspired by the iconic flag-raising and designed to honor the Marine Corps' enduring spirit. For more information and to purchase Heritage's award-winning spirits, visit About Heritage Distilling Company, is among the premier independent craft distilleries in the United States offering a variety of whiskeys, vodkas, gins, rums and ready-to-drink canned cocktails. Heritage has been North America's most awarded craft distillery by the American Distilling Institute for ten consecutive years out of the more than 2,600 craft producers. Beyond this remarkable achievement, Heritage has also garnered numerous Best of Class, Double Gold, and Gold medals at esteemed national and international spirits competitions. As one of the largest craft spirits producers on the West Coast by revenue, the company is expanding its presence nationwide through a diverse range of sales channels, including wholesale, on-premises venues, e-commerce and the innovative Tribal Beverage Network (TBN). The TBN initiative, a groundbreaking collaboration with Native American tribes, focuses on developing Heritage-branded distilleries, unique tribal brands and tasting rooms tailored to tribal communities. By serving patrons of tribal casinos and entertainment venues, the TBN creates meaningful economic and social benefits for participating tribes, while providing an additional avenue for tribes to exercise and strengthen their sovereignty. This unique partnership reflects Heritage's commitment to innovation, community engagement and sustainable growth. Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as "aims," "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "forecasts," "goal," "intends," "may," "plans," "possible," "potential," "seeks," "will," and variations of these words or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any such statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated results or benefits anticipated from Heritage's new product launch and the implications that may come from it. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on Heritage's current expectations, estimates and projections only as of the date of this release and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks of expanding sales and revenue due to the introduction of new products or the announcement of new partnerships that would be expected to result therefrom. These and other risks concerning Heritage's programs and operations are described in additional detail in its registration statement on Form S-1, and its quarterly 10-Q filings, which are on file with the SEC. Heritage explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by law. Contacts: Investors Media Scott Eckstein Francesca DeMauro heritage@ heritage@ (212) 896 1210 (917) 880 9771 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
