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14 Black-Owned Wine, Spirits And Beer Brands You Should Try

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14 Black-Owned Wine, Spirits And Beer Brands You Should Try
GET TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING BRANDS, WHETHER YOU'LL TASTE THEM IN NOLA AT ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE OR WANT TO TRY THEM OUT AT HOME.
COURTESY OF LS
BY VICTORIA UWUMAROGIE · UPDATED JUNE 23, 2022
ESSENCE Festival of Culture is almost here, and we’re getting ready for all the fun that will be had in New Orleans from June 30th through July 3rd. There will be plenty of events to partake in, from Beauty Carnival and Wellness House, to E-Suite, the ESSENCE Film Festival and all the great concerts happening Friday through Sunday with Nicki Minaj, Janet Jackson and New Edition as headliners. But that’s just a taste of what’s planned.
One of the newest expanded events is the ESSENCE Eats Food & Wine Festival, which will showcase a bevy of talented Black vendors whose drinks are shaking things up in wine and spirits. Some of the following vendors are talking on panels, supporting the event and their products are being made available to drink and buy. Others are just names and tastes you should acquaint yourself with ASAP. Get to know them and feel free to show love to the following brands, whether you’ll experience them in person in NOLA or want to try them out at home.
Anteel Tequila

Created by husband and wife team Don and Nayana Ferguson, Anteel’s tequilas, including the Blanco, Coconut Lime Blanco and the Reposado, have become award-winning offerings in the spirits lane. Nayana will be a panelist at ESSENCE Eats.
Exclave Spirits

With the brand’s principles including authenticity, freedom, and self-determination, Exclave Spirits’ aged whiskeys (a rye and bourbon) are rich in flavor while the brand is rich in purpose. Founder Andrew Albert will be another panelist at ESSENCE Eats.
Lobos 1707 Tequila


Though not technically Black-owned, Lobos 1707 operates with help from Black talent. That includes CEO Dia Simms and LeBron James, an early investor and shareholder in the tequila brand, which launched in 2021.
McBride Sisters Wine Company

With their uber-popular Black Girl Magic Wines, which they introduced at Festival years ago, the McBride Sisters, Robin & Andréa, have expanded their wine empire in a big way with a number of offerings. The sisters will be speaking as panelists at ESSENCE Eats.
Uncle Nearest

With CEO Fawn Weaver and master blender Victoria Eady Butler at the helm, Uncle Nearest won 185 awards in 2021 and is said to be the best-selling African American founded spirit brand of all time. Tracie Franklin, part of the Nearest and Jack Leadership Acceleration Program created by Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniels to diversify the whiskey lane, will be at ESSENCE Eats as a panelist.
Olé Orleans Wines
COURTESY OF OLE’ ORLEANS WINE
The creation of New Orleans native Kim Lewis and based on her love of the city and family history, Olé Orleans Wines has been producing and selling top-tier NOLA-based wines since 2018. Catch Lewis as a panelist at ESSENCE Eats.
LS


Created by husband and wife team Stevens Charles and Myriam Jean-Baptiste, LS is an award-winning cream liqueur inspired by the beloved Haitian cremas recipe. Jean-Baptiste will be on hand as a panelist at ESSENCE Eats.
MYX Fusions

Article continues after video.








All The Celebrity Kids Graduating In 2022
As the saying goes, star kids grow up at a faster rate than any other child. One minute they’re wee kiddos on reality TV, in movies, and in photos, the next they’re graduating from middle school, high school and college (and for one little one, kindergarten!). You can’t tell me grade school-aged Yara Shahidi wasn’t just in A Thousand Words. Ok, so that was actually 2012. Ten years later, she’s officially a graduate of Harvard University (and said goodbye to her first TV series, Black-ish). Excuse me while my mind explodes… Shahidi joins a growing list of famous kids (both well-known for their own work or for being the child of a notable figure or two) who are putting on their cap and gowns and getting their diplomas this spring. Some are celebrating with fancy trips abroad (like tennis ace Coco Gauff did in front of the Eiffel Tower after graduating from high school), at their favorite burger joints (like Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and reality star Laura Govan), and with super luxurious gifts (like Shayla Gibson‘s Rolls-Royce!). However they’re doing it, these not-so-little kids are commemorating this major moment in their lives with help from their loved ones.




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Remembering Emmett Till

Co-owned by ESSENCE Fest headliner Nicki Minaj, this wine brand is known for its tasty moscatos, sangrias, red wine blends and more.
Sun Goddess Wines

ESSENCE Festival regular Mary J. Blige is not hitting the stage this year, but you should get your hands on her popular, delish wine line, Sun Goddess.
B. Stuyvesant Champagne

From Rose to Grand Reserve Brut and more, B. Stuyvesant Champagne offerings are one of a kind in taste and it makes sense why. Marvina Robinson is one of the few Black women in the champagne lane, innovating while being inspired by her Brooklyn roots.

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loft & bear
LOFT & BEAR

The LA-based brand’s artisanal vodka is 10 years strong. It was founded by Paul Ryan Elliot and Harry Martin, and is known for its smooth taste and a very rich, vibrant aroma.
Grand Coramino

Kevin Hart, an ESSENCE Fest headliner who will be doing his “Reality Check” tour on Thursday night, is also a panelist for ESSENCE Eats. He has stepped into wine and spirits with his new tequila brand. The Gran Coramino Reposado Cristalino is a clear reposado said to have delicious oak and butterscotch flavors.
Cajun Fire Brewery

Founded in 2011, the New Orleans beer brand is said to be the first Black-owned brewing company in the state of Louisiana and in the South. You will be able to find it at the bar at ESSENCE Eats.
Crowns & Hops Brewing Co.

Black-owned craft beer brand Crowns & Hops was founded by Beny Ashburn and Teo Hunter. Their mission? In addition to creating world class beer, is to “create family friendly spaces that are community centric with underserved communities of color in mind, driving diversity, economic growth and influencing inclusion.”
TOPICS: BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES ESSENCE EATS FOOD AND DRINKS


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DC_Dude

DC_Dude

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As a tequila drinker, I have to try some of this

www.lobos1707.com

Lobos 1707 Award-Winning Premium Tequila

Developed over the course of five centuries, Lobos 1707 Tequila is the continuing legacy of jimadors, crafters, and contributors from around the world. Founded by Diego Osorio, a descendent of the original family line, Lobos Tequila welcomes you into the pack and invites you to craft your legacy.
www.lobos1707.com www.lobos1707.com









 
Kubrick

Kubrick

Rising Star
OG Investor
I have only had Uncle Nearest off of that list and I like their bourbon. Their 1820 and the Master Blend expressions are in my top 10 of Bourbons
 
DC_Dude

DC_Dude

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BGOL Investor
cli-terminator said:
My boy has a cinnamon spiced rum called Devil's Reef


Click to expand...


Oh I already know this shit is good....During the winter time, I like to drink captain morgan spiced rum with apple cider...Man that some good shit and will have your ass Lit!

I am definitely going to look for this....Thanks!
 
Politic Negro

Politic Negro

Rising Star
BGOL Investor

Black-Owned Spirits Brands to Support​

State-by-state, with global selections, use this resource to find your next pour.
By
Liquor.com
Updated 02/28/23



Serita Braxton of Monita Tequila, walking through agave fields

Monita Tequila
Although Black distillers have significantly affected the world of spirits, their contributions have largely been written out of history. The story of Nearest Green is one of the most prominent examples—the first known Black distiller in the U.S. and the man who taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey, wasn’t widely known until 2017, when Fawn Weaver launched the Uncle Nearest brand to honor his legacy.

We’ve compiled a working directory of Black-owned spirits brands as a resource for those looking to support Black-owned producers, large and small, particularly those located within their home states. From traditional spirits like whiskey and rum to cordials like hibiscus liqueur and Haitian cremas, our goal is to join others in using our platform to help create an easier way for consumers to find new producers to try and products to enjoy.

This list will be continually updated. If you’d like to share additional brands to be added, please reach out to contact@liquor.com.

Arkansas​

Delta Dirt Distillery

This family-owned distillery makes spirits and liqueurs using local ingredients from its own farm, including sweet potatoes and corn for vodka and wheat for its gin.

Bender's Rye Whisky held in hands by oak barrel

Bender's Small Batch Rye Whiskey.
Bender's Whiskey Co.

California​

Bender’s Whiskey Co.

This producer makes three small-batch bottlings: a double-barrel rye, a 100% corn whiskey, and Batch #5, a blend of five-year rye and eight-to-nine-year corn whiskey.

Carbonadi Vodka

This vodka is said to be filtered through black diamonds, also known as carbonados, to impart a cleaner flavor.

Common Ground Spirits

This producer makes two gin bottlings: one infused with basil and elderflower and one with black currants and thyme. Its bourbon bottling is scheduled to be released in 2024.

Loft & Bear Vodka

Made from white winter wheat, this Los Angeles-made vodka is distilled four times, and described by the owner as more akin in profile to gin than typical vodka.

Shadow Ridge Spirits Company

This producer specializes in ultra-small batch spirits, including single-malt whiskey, rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, and dark rum.

Sukurai Spirits

This “hybrid spirit,” a fruit-infused vodka, is distilled and filtered six times.

Colorado​

Rising Sun Distillery

This producer makes multiple spirits, including an oaked gin, bourbon, rye whiskey, whiskey aged in stout barrels, corn-based vodka, and flavored liqueurs.

Delaware​

Painted Stave

This producer makes multiple spirits from local ingredients, including wheat-based vodka, a botanical dry gin, bottled-in-bond corn and rye whiskeys, and flavored liqueurs.

Plush Vodka

This brand offers plum-flavored vodka and a neutral vodka, both distilled eight times.

Idaho​

44 North Vodka

This vodka is distilled from 100% Idaho-grown potatoes or winter wheat blended with Rocky Mountain rainwater. The producer also offers flavors with local ingredients including huckleberry and cherry.

Florida​

AsLegacy

This producer makes a vodka that is distilled six times, crafted from a base of U.S.-grown grapes.

Balt Vodka

This corn-based vodka is distilled six times and infused with local strawberries.

Blackstorm Vodka

This Jacksonville producer creates small-batch corn-made vodka that’s distilled and filtered six times before bottling.

Coconut Sky Creme Liqueur

The flagship liqueur from this producer is made with a blend of coconut water, gin, and light cream.

DuBlase Premium Whiskey

Founder and CEO Darrin Eakins worked with a master distiller to develop this proprietary whiskey blend in his home state of Florida.

Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Flavored Whiskey

This blended corn whiskey includes a two-year-old bourbon, which contributes slightly charred orange and toffee notes. Caramel flavor is introduced in the blending process.

IslandJon Vodka

This vodka from a father-son team of Levi and Kevin Jon, is inspired by Levi’s upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago. Made with yellow and sweet white corn, it is distilled six times and filtered through charcoal and coconut husks.

LS Cream Liqueur

Myriam Jean-Baptiste and Stevens Charles based this Haitian crema off Charles’s grandmother’s family recipe. It’s made with a blend of fresh cream, neutral grain spirits, and aromatic ingredients such as vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, and nutmeg.

Mon Rey Rum

Intended to be mixed into drinks or served over ice, this light rum is infused with apple pie flavors.

Phoenix Spiritz Pineapple Coconut Vodka

This Miami-based producer creates a corn-based flavored vodka that’s distilled and filtered six times.

Riventé Cognac

This VSOP is a blend of three eaux-de-vies from Cognac, France, made in partnership with the Raclie family. Founder Algen Albritten launched the brand specifically with cocktail creation in mind.

SAJ Gin

Founded by mechanical engineer Danielle Petterson, and named after her grandmother, this gin is infused with botanicals including lemongrass and lavender.

Toast Vodka

This unflavored, corn- and coconut-water based vodka is distilled six times, and produced in Miami.

Victor George

This producer says its vodka relies on a combination of filtration and oxidation to purify the spirit and creates a smoother profile.

Bottle of Original Irving Straight Bourbon Whiskey, with out of focus person in background

The Original Irving Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Original Irving Whiskey

Georgia​

Bomade Vodka

A portmanteau of “the bomb lemonade,” this lemon-infused vodka evokes vodka lemonade but doesn’t contain any additional sugar. The company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, but now partners with Pritchard’s Distillery of Keslo, Tennessee.

Original Irving Whiskey

Founder Timothy Irving Jr. was inspired by his family’s history of making moonshine, and now produces this 90-proof straight bourbon, which is aged for two years in American white oak and filtered through slightly toasted oak chips to add depth.

Oui Oui Rum Liqueur

These passion fruit and pineapple fruit liqueurs use a base of Caribbean rum.

Illinois​

Halo 7 Rum

Intended as a flavored sipping rum, this bottling is infused with coconut, vanilla, and caramel to mimic the rich notes of an aged rum.

Jon Basíl Tequila

This Chicago company’s blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are made with 100% blue agave that is grown in the Highlands and Lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

Indiana​

18th Street Distillery

This Hammond, Indiana-based distillery makes rye whiskey, wheated bourbon, vodka, rum, bourbon, and gin, among other bottlings.

Tom Bullock’s

Inspired by Tom Bullock, the Black bartender who wrote the seminal 1917 manual The Ideal Bartender, this company (owned by former NBA player Alan Henderson’s Henderson Spirits Group) makes a burnt orange bourbon that is intended to be mixed into an Old Fashioned. The brand also imports a sweet lime-infused Old Tom gin from a 200-year-old London distiller.

Iowa​

Bleu Vodka

This producer is known for its blueberry-flavored vodka-based liqueur, made from grain vodka and wild blueberries. It also makes a citrus liqueur.

Kentucky​

Brough Brothers Bourbon
Made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, the producer states its bourbon offers a medium body and fruity notes of green apple and pear.

Fresh Bourbon

This producer’s bourbon is bottled at 95 proof and introduces specialty grains to the mash bill, including honey malt.

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

This liqueur is made with a base of slow-distilled brandy, which is aged in small oak casks and infused with pecans.

Louisiana​

Exclave Spirits

This producer makes a rye whiskey and a high-rye bourbon that features 36% rye in the mash bill. The brand “was created to pay homage to the lost stories and contributions of Black people who have advanced distilled spirits.”

River Basin Distillery

This New Orleans producer’s rich rye whiskey, made with a 95% rye mash bill, is stated to offer finish of vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, and cloves. It’s aged for more than two years.

Nayana Ferguson in yellow outfit, seated, smelling tequila in tasting glass

Nayana Ferguson, co-founder, Anteel Tequila.
Anteel Tequila

Michigan​

Anteel Tequila

Headquartered in the Detroit area and produced in Mexico, this twice-distilled tequila is said to be made with a blend of Highland and Lowland agave that are harvested between six and seven years. In addition to blanco and reposado expressions, the producer offers flavored coconut lime blanco and blood orange blanco bottlings.

Minnesota​

Du Nord Social Spirits

This producer makes multiple spirits, including a barreled gin, London dry-influenced gin, vodka, blended whiskey, and coffee and apple liqueurs.

Montana​

Birdie Brown Plain Hooch

Named for a Black businesswoman who created a thriving alcohol enterprise at the height of Prohibition, this unaged whiskey is distilled in small batches from oats, wheat, and barley.

New Jersey​

Striped Lion Distilling

This American-made rum is fermented from organic American molasses and pot-distilled in New Jersey. The producer also makes citrus, cocoa and cinnamon rum bottlings that are vapor-distilled through citrus peels, cacao nibs and cinnamon sticks. A reserve collection of rums are finished in cognac and red wine casks.

New York​

Abisola Whiskey

This blend of bourbon and malt whiskey is stated to have an aroma of apricot and almond cream with a malted chocolate finish. It’s aged in three types of oak, ranging from light to medium toast.

Black Momma Vodka

Founder Vanessa Braxton is the first African-American master distiller and master blender in New York State. Her flagship vodka bottling is distilled and filtered five times, and also comes in flavors like green tea, soursop, and chai.

Cremas Absalon Creme Liqueur

This cream liqueur has a sweetened condensed milk base with hints of nutmeg and vanilla. Other bottlings include crème brûlée and chocolate-almond.

Devil’s Reef

This cinnamon-spiced rum is aged for three years. Cinnamon and sugar at the bottom of each bottle is meant to evoke sand.

Den of Thieves

This straight bourbon is stated to have notes of vanilla and a caramel finish. The producer also makes ginger-vanilla and chocolate-infused bottlings.

Harlem Haberdashery Bespoke Spirits

Inspired by the style of the Harlem Renaissance, this producer makes an updated take on London Dry gin that’s infused with botanicals including lavender, rose hips, and plum. Its vodka is crafted primarily from a corn base, while a blend of aged rums made with molasses are aged in new American oak and ex-bourbon casks.

Sorel

Based on the Caribbean liqueur that dates to the 1600s, this hibiscus liqueur from owner Jackie Summers is made with Moroccan hibiscus blended with Brazilian clove, Indonesian cassia, and Nigerian ginger.

North Carolina​

PurCellos 1789

This small-batch straight bourbon is aged for 30 months in charred new American white oak. It’s named for owner Tomeka Lynch Purcell’s hometown, Winston Salem, which was founded in 1789.

Redd Rose Vodka

This corn-based strawberry lemon-flavored vodka was developed by Charlotte bartender Taylor Redd.

Ohio​

Col Bleu Vodka

Made in partnership with a Florida-based distillery, this producer (whose name translates to “blue collar”) creates 100% corn vodka that is distilled eight times.

Rayon Cognac

Distributed in the U.S. by Black-owned Lowe Imports, this XO cognac is made in partnership with the Godet Reserve in France, which employs a unique cellaring environment that is influenced by the humidity and salty air of the Atlantic Ocean.

Oklahoma​

Greenwood Whiskey

At one time, the Greenwood District of Tulsa was home to more than 600 Black-owned businesses, and this company aims to pay homage to “Black Wall Street.” Its rye whiskey is aged for three to four years with a mash bill of 51% rye and 49% corn, bottled at 42% ABV.

Success Vodka

Using a wheat base, this vodka is distilled six times and also comes in a peach flavor.

Oregon​

Royalty Spirits

This producer makes Rex Whiskey, aged in charred Bordeaux and Burgundy wine barrels, and Miru Vodka, which comes in black cherry and pear flavors. They also offer a selection of ready-to-drink canned cocktails.

Pennsylvania​

Diggs Boys Bourbon

With a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley malt, this bourbon is stated to offer hints of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak.

Mishka Premium Vodka

Mishka’s quintuple-distilled corn-based vodka comes in regular, as well as cranberry and honey, bottlings that contain no added sugar.

South Carolina​

Fou-Dré Vodka

Founded Chanel Turner was 25 when she launched her flavored vodka brand, which is infused with flavors that include pomegranate and ginger.

Tennessee​

Disbelef Tequila

This Memphis-based brand’s aged tequila is made with 100% blue agave grown in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The liquid is double-distilled and ages for at least 60 days in oak barrels.

Guidance Whiskey

This American whiskey includes a blend of corn and rye with a touch of malted barley. It’s aged for two years, which the producer says imparts notes of burnt caramel along with a smoky finish.

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

This brand is named after the country’s first African-American distiller, Nearest Green, who taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey. Founded by Fawn Weaver, the producer celebrates Green’s history with bottlings including its flagship 100-proof aged whiskey and a 100% rye whiskey. Nearest’s great-great-great granddaughter, Victoria Eady Butler, serves as Master Blender for the brand today.

Texas​

Deception Honey-Flavored Whiskey

This honey-flavored whiskey is described by the producer as offering smoky wooden undertones.

Hera Tropical Rum

This Austin-based tropical white rum is infused with banana and coconut flavors.

Highway Vodka

This vodka is said to be made with a mash bill of hemp and locally-sourced corn. It is distilled six times.

Legendaire Peach Tea Rum

This bottling blends Texas tea leaves and ripe peaches to evoke a staple Southern beverage.

Liv Rums

For this white rum, the producer states that sugar cane molasses is fermented for up to one week. The liquid is then distilled three times in copper pot stills. The producer also makes a spiced rum and navy-strength variation, among other offerings.

Noble Wolf Vodka

This vodka is distilled from 100% Florida grapefruits. Distilled eight times, it also comes in flavors like pink lemonade and green apple.

Saint Liberty Whiskey

This producer celebrates famous female bootleggers from the Prohibition era. Bertie Brown is the inspiration for a cask-strength Texas bourbon, for example, while a Tennessee rye whiskey is a nod to Josephine Doody.

Serpiente

Under the umbrella of Mayo Akindele’s Houston-based Nomad Spirits Company, this tequila is distilled in Jalisco, Mexico, with 100% blue agave. Its plata, reposado, añejo, and cristallino offerings all come in serpent-shaped bottles.

Tequila with Friends

This Dallas company’s blanco and reposado expressions are made with 100% blue agave that is harvested for seven years, slow-roasted in brick ovens, and double-distilled in copper pots.

Timeless Vodka

Made with Iowa corn, this vodka is distilled four times and purified with coconut carbon.

Virginia​

Tusk Spirits

This producer makes hemp seed-infused spirits, including 100% corn vodka, and a molasses-based rum.

Washington, D.C.​

Blackleaf Organic Vodka

Founded by Washington D.C. resident Kevin Larkai, this wheat-based vodka is distilled five times in the Cognac region of France, produced in partnership with Maison Rene Laclie.

Sankofa Bottling Company

This producer’s flavored gin is infused with citrus and berries, bottled at 100 proof.

TCapri Tequila

Produced in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, at Tepozán Distillery, this blanco tequila is made from 100% blue agave that’s been roasted in traditional brick ovens. CEO Tiffani Capri Hainesworth was the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand.

Wisconsin​

Somrus Liqueur

These cream liqueurs—including coffee, chai cream, and mango flavors—are made with a base of quintuple-distilled rum, which is blended with local Wisconsin dairy.

Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin standing behind and seating in front of bar, respectively, with bottles of Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka

Chris Frederick (left) and Damola Timeyin (right), founders of Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka.
Spearhead Spirits Group

Global​

Adaka Vodka

The flagship bottling of this British vodka brand is infused with spices inspired by founder Chris Adaka’s Nigerian upbringing. He also offers a vodka-based toffee-flavored liqueur.

Araceli Marigold Liqueur

Handcrafted in Tequila, Mexico, this floral liqueur is inspired by the flowers that are used during Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

Bayab

This London-based gin uses Africa-sourced botanicals from the baobab tree. Its bottlings include classic African Dry, burnt orange and marula, and African rose water.

E. Cuarenta

Named after owner and recording artist E40, who works with a Tequila distillery, this 100% blue agave tequila comes in blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions.

Man inspecting fermentation tanks at Equiano Rum

Production facilities at Equiano Rum.
Equiano Rum
Equiano Rum

This light rum, a collaboration between two distilleries, is a blend of barrel-aged molasses rum from the Caribbean and sugar cane rum from Africa.

Grand Leyenda Tequila

This tequila comes in blanco, silver, reposado, and añejo expressions. Agave plants sourced to create it are grown for 10–12 years in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Kind of Blue Whisky

This blended Scotch whisky is made with a blend of malts from Islay, the Highlands, and Speyside.

La Boca Tequila

Owned by rapper Erik Simmons, also known as E Sosa, this tequila is available in blanco and reposado expressions.

Lassere Liqueur

Made by a Louisiana entrepreneur in partnership with a French distiller, this cognac-based liqueur is infused with honey.

Matugga Rum

These rums are produced in Scotland using Africa-sourced ingredients. Its Golden expression is distilled in copper pot stills and matured in ex-bourbon casks, while its spiced offering is infused with a masala chai blend.

Mascota Tequila

This brand, which comes in dog-shaped bottles crafted by artisans in Pachuca, Mexico, aims to raise awareness for pet adoption, and donates a portion of proceeds to non-profit animal shelters. Its blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are made with 100% blue agave distilled at Vinos y Licores Azteca in Jalisco, Mexico.

Monita Tequila

This 100% agave blanco tequila is named after the late mother of founder Serita Braxton. It is distilled by Tequila Mexico Spirits in Tequila, Mexico.

Nyac Cognac

This producer offers VS and VSOP bottlings that are distilled in France.

Revel Spirits

Made with 100% local agave, this producer’s blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are triple-distilled at the Morales distillery in the south of Mexico.

Sephina Spirits

Imported from France, this craft spirit is made with a blend of VSOP cognac and fortified wine.

Ten to One Rum

This Caribbean producer makes a dark blended rum that is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, and an unaged white bottling that blends column-still rum from the Dominican Republic with a high-ester Jamaican pot still rum.

Vusa Vodka

This London-based vodka is made from South African sugar cane and distilled in small batches using copper pot stills.
 
DC_Dude

DC_Dude

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
Politic Negro said:

Black-Owned Spirits Brands to Support​

State-by-state, with global selections, use this resource to find your next pour.
By
Liquor.com
Updated 02/28/23



Serita Braxton of Monita Tequila, walking through agave fields

Monita Tequila
Although Black distillers have significantly affected the world of spirits, their contributions have largely been written out of history. The story of Nearest Green is one of the most prominent examples—the first known Black distiller in the U.S. and the man who taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey, wasn’t widely known until 2017, when Fawn Weaver launched the Uncle Nearest brand to honor his legacy.

We’ve compiled a working directory of Black-owned spirits brands as a resource for those looking to support Black-owned producers, large and small, particularly those located within their home states. From traditional spirits like whiskey and rum to cordials like hibiscus liqueur and Haitian cremas, our goal is to join others in using our platform to help create an easier way for consumers to find new producers to try and products to enjoy.

This list will be continually updated. If you’d like to share additional brands to be added, please reach out to contact@liquor.com.

Arkansas​

Delta Dirt Distillery

This family-owned distillery makes spirits and liqueurs using local ingredients from its own farm, including sweet potatoes and corn for vodka and wheat for its gin.

Bender's Rye Whisky held in hands by oak barrel's Rye Whisky held in hands by oak barrel

Bender's Small Batch Rye Whiskey.
Bender's Whiskey Co.

California​

Bender’s Whiskey Co.

This producer makes three small-batch bottlings: a double-barrel rye, a 100% corn whiskey, and Batch #5, a blend of five-year rye and eight-to-nine-year corn whiskey.

Carbonadi Vodka

This vodka is said to be filtered through black diamonds, also known as carbonados, to impart a cleaner flavor.

Common Ground Spirits

This producer makes two gin bottlings: one infused with basil and elderflower and one with black currants and thyme. Its bourbon bottling is scheduled to be released in 2024.

Loft & Bear Vodka

Made from white winter wheat, this Los Angeles-made vodka is distilled four times, and described by the owner as more akin in profile to gin than typical vodka.

Shadow Ridge Spirits Company

This producer specializes in ultra-small batch spirits, including single-malt whiskey, rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, and dark rum.

Sukurai Spirits

This “hybrid spirit,” a fruit-infused vodka, is distilled and filtered six times.

Colorado​

Rising Sun Distillery

This producer makes multiple spirits, including an oaked gin, bourbon, rye whiskey, whiskey aged in stout barrels, corn-based vodka, and flavored liqueurs.

Delaware​

Painted Stave

This producer makes multiple spirits from local ingredients, including wheat-based vodka, a botanical dry gin, bottled-in-bond corn and rye whiskeys, and flavored liqueurs.

Plush Vodka

This brand offers plum-flavored vodka and a neutral vodka, both distilled eight times.

Idaho​

44 North Vodka

This vodka is distilled from 100% Idaho-grown potatoes or winter wheat blended with Rocky Mountain rainwater. The producer also offers flavors with local ingredients including huckleberry and cherry.

Florida​

AsLegacy

This producer makes a vodka that is distilled six times, crafted from a base of U.S.-grown grapes.

Balt Vodka

This corn-based vodka is distilled six times and infused with local strawberries.

Blackstorm Vodka

This Jacksonville producer creates small-batch corn-made vodka that’s distilled and filtered six times before bottling.

Coconut Sky Creme Liqueur

The flagship liqueur from this producer is made with a blend of coconut water, gin, and light cream.

DuBlase Premium Whiskey

Founder and CEO Darrin Eakins worked with a master distiller to develop this proprietary whiskey blend in his home state of Florida.

Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Flavored Whiskey

This blended corn whiskey includes a two-year-old bourbon, which contributes slightly charred orange and toffee notes. Caramel flavor is introduced in the blending process.

IslandJon Vodka

This vodka from a father-son team of Levi and Kevin Jon, is inspired by Levi’s upbringing in Trinidad and Tobago. Made with yellow and sweet white corn, it is distilled six times and filtered through charcoal and coconut husks.

LS Cream Liqueur

Myriam Jean-Baptiste and Stevens Charles based this Haitian crema off Charles’s grandmother’s family recipe. It’s made with a blend of fresh cream, neutral grain spirits, and aromatic ingredients such as vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, and nutmeg.

Mon Rey Rum

Intended to be mixed into drinks or served over ice, this light rum is infused with apple pie flavors.

Phoenix Spiritz Pineapple Coconut Vodka

This Miami-based producer creates a corn-based flavored vodka that’s distilled and filtered six times.

Riventé Cognac

This VSOP is a blend of three eaux-de-vies from Cognac, France, made in partnership with the Raclie family. Founder Algen Albritten launched the brand specifically with cocktail creation in mind.

SAJ Gin

Founded by mechanical engineer Danielle Petterson, and named after her grandmother, this gin is infused with botanicals including lemongrass and lavender.

Toast Vodka

This unflavored, corn- and coconut-water based vodka is distilled six times, and produced in Miami.

Victor George

This producer says its vodka relies on a combination of filtration and oxidation to purify the spirit and creates a smoother profile.

Bottle of Original Irving Straight Bourbon Whiskey, with out of focus person in background

The Original Irving Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Original Irving Whiskey

Georgia​

Bomade Vodka

A portmanteau of “the bomb lemonade,” this lemon-infused vodka evokes vodka lemonade but doesn’t contain any additional sugar. The company was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, but now partners with Pritchard’s Distillery of Keslo, Tennessee.

Original Irving Whiskey

Founder Timothy Irving Jr. was inspired by his family’s history of making moonshine, and now produces this 90-proof straight bourbon, which is aged for two years in American white oak and filtered through slightly toasted oak chips to add depth.

Oui Oui Rum Liqueur

These passion fruit and pineapple fruit liqueurs use a base of Caribbean rum.

Illinois​

Halo 7 Rum

Intended as a flavored sipping rum, this bottling is infused with coconut, vanilla, and caramel to mimic the rich notes of an aged rum.

Jon Basíl Tequila

This Chicago company’s blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are made with 100% blue agave that is grown in the Highlands and Lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

Indiana​

18th Street Distillery

This Hammond, Indiana-based distillery makes rye whiskey, wheated bourbon, vodka, rum, bourbon, and gin, among other bottlings.

Tom Bullock’s

Inspired by Tom Bullock, the Black bartender who wrote the seminal 1917 manual The Ideal Bartender, this company (owned by former NBA player Alan Henderson’s Henderson Spirits Group) makes a burnt orange bourbon that is intended to be mixed into an Old Fashioned. The brand also imports a sweet lime-infused Old Tom gin from a 200-year-old London distiller.

Iowa​

Bleu Vodka

This producer is known for its blueberry-flavored vodka-based liqueur, made from grain vodka and wild blueberries. It also makes a citrus liqueur.

Kentucky​

Brough Brothers Bourbon
Made with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, the producer states its bourbon offers a medium body and fruity notes of green apple and pear.

Fresh Bourbon

This producer’s bourbon is bottled at 95 proof and introduces specialty grains to the mash bill, including honey malt.

Rivulet Artisan Pecan Liqueur

This liqueur is made with a base of slow-distilled brandy, which is aged in small oak casks and infused with pecans.

Louisiana​

Exclave Spirits

This producer makes a rye whiskey and a high-rye bourbon that features 36% rye in the mash bill. The brand “was created to pay homage to the lost stories and contributions of Black people who have advanced distilled spirits.”

River Basin Distillery

This New Orleans producer’s rich rye whiskey, made with a 95% rye mash bill, is stated to offer finish of vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, and cloves. It’s aged for more than two years.

Nayana Ferguson in yellow outfit, seated, smelling tequila in tasting glass

Nayana Ferguson, co-founder, Anteel Tequila.
Anteel Tequila

Michigan​

Anteel Tequila

Headquartered in the Detroit area and produced in Mexico, this twice-distilled tequila is said to be made with a blend of Highland and Lowland agave that are harvested between six and seven years. In addition to blanco and reposado expressions, the producer offers flavored coconut lime blanco and blood orange blanco bottlings.

Minnesota​

Du Nord Social Spirits

This producer makes multiple spirits, including a barreled gin, London dry-influenced gin, vodka, blended whiskey, and coffee and apple liqueurs.

Montana​

Birdie Brown Plain Hooch

Named for a Black businesswoman who created a thriving alcohol enterprise at the height of Prohibition, this unaged whiskey is distilled in small batches from oats, wheat, and barley.

New Jersey​

Striped Lion Distilling

This American-made rum is fermented from organic American molasses and pot-distilled in New Jersey. The producer also makes citrus, cocoa and cinnamon rum bottlings that are vapor-distilled through citrus peels, cacao nibs and cinnamon sticks. A reserve collection of rums are finished in cognac and red wine casks.

New York​

Abisola Whiskey

This blend of bourbon and malt whiskey is stated to have an aroma of apricot and almond cream with a malted chocolate finish. It’s aged in three types of oak, ranging from light to medium toast.

Black Momma Vodka

Founder Vanessa Braxton is the first African-American master distiller and master blender in New York State. Her flagship vodka bottling is distilled and filtered five times, and also comes in flavors like green tea, soursop, and chai.

Cremas Absalon Creme Liqueur

This cream liqueur has a sweetened condensed milk base with hints of nutmeg and vanilla. Other bottlings include crème brûlée and chocolate-almond.

Devil’s Reef

This cinnamon-spiced rum is aged for three years. Cinnamon and sugar at the bottom of each bottle is meant to evoke sand.

Den of Thieves

This straight bourbon is stated to have notes of vanilla and a caramel finish. The producer also makes ginger-vanilla and chocolate-infused bottlings.

Harlem Haberdashery Bespoke Spirits

Inspired by the style of the Harlem Renaissance, this producer makes an updated take on London Dry gin that’s infused with botanicals including lavender, rose hips, and plum. Its vodka is crafted primarily from a corn base, while a blend of aged rums made with molasses are aged in new American oak and ex-bourbon casks.

Sorel

Based on the Caribbean liqueur that dates to the 1600s, this hibiscus liqueur from owner Jackie Summers is made with Moroccan hibiscus blended with Brazilian clove, Indonesian cassia, and Nigerian ginger.

North Carolina​

PurCellos 1789

This small-batch straight bourbon is aged for 30 months in charred new American white oak. It’s named for owner Tomeka Lynch Purcell’s hometown, Winston Salem, which was founded in 1789.

Redd Rose Vodka

This corn-based strawberry lemon-flavored vodka was developed by Charlotte bartender Taylor Redd.

Ohio​

Col Bleu Vodka

Made in partnership with a Florida-based distillery, this producer (whose name translates to “blue collar”) creates 100% corn vodka that is distilled eight times.

Rayon Cognac

Distributed in the U.S. by Black-owned Lowe Imports, this XO cognac is made in partnership with the Godet Reserve in France, which employs a unique cellaring environment that is influenced by the humidity and salty air of the Atlantic Ocean.

Oklahoma​

Greenwood Whiskey

At one time, the Greenwood District of Tulsa was home to more than 600 Black-owned businesses, and this company aims to pay homage to “Black Wall Street.” Its rye whiskey is aged for three to four years with a mash bill of 51% rye and 49% corn, bottled at 42% ABV.

Success Vodka

Using a wheat base, this vodka is distilled six times and also comes in a peach flavor.

Oregon​

Royalty Spirits

This producer makes Rex Whiskey, aged in charred Bordeaux and Burgundy wine barrels, and Miru Vodka, which comes in black cherry and pear flavors. They also offer a selection of ready-to-drink canned cocktails.

Pennsylvania​

Diggs Boys Bourbon

With a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley malt, this bourbon is stated to offer hints of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak.

Mishka Premium Vodka

Mishka’s quintuple-distilled corn-based vodka comes in regular, as well as cranberry and honey, bottlings that contain no added sugar.

South Carolina​

Fou-Dré Vodka

Founded Chanel Turner was 25 when she launched her flavored vodka brand, which is infused with flavors that include pomegranate and ginger.

Tennessee​

Disbelef Tequila

This Memphis-based brand’s aged tequila is made with 100% blue agave grown in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The liquid is double-distilled and ages for at least 60 days in oak barrels.

Guidance Whiskey

This American whiskey includes a blend of corn and rye with a touch of malted barley. It’s aged for two years, which the producer says imparts notes of burnt caramel along with a smoky finish.

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

This brand is named after the country’s first African-American distiller, Nearest Green, who taught Jack Daniels how to make whiskey. Founded by Fawn Weaver, the producer celebrates Green’s history with bottlings including its flagship 100-proof aged whiskey and a 100% rye whiskey. Nearest’s great-great-great granddaughter, Victoria Eady Butler, serves as Master Blender for the brand today.

Texas​

Deception Honey-Flavored Whiskey

This honey-flavored whiskey is described by the producer as offering smoky wooden undertones.

Hera Tropical Rum

This Austin-based tropical white rum is infused with banana and coconut flavors.

Highway Vodka

This vodka is said to be made with a mash bill of hemp and locally-sourced corn. It is distilled six times.

Legendaire Peach Tea Rum

This bottling blends Texas tea leaves and ripe peaches to evoke a staple Southern beverage.

Liv Rums

For this white rum, the producer states that sugar cane molasses is fermented for up to one week. The liquid is then distilled three times in copper pot stills. The producer also makes a spiced rum and navy-strength variation, among other offerings.

Noble Wolf Vodka

This vodka is distilled from 100% Florida grapefruits. Distilled eight times, it also comes in flavors like pink lemonade and green apple.

Saint Liberty Whiskey

This producer celebrates famous female bootleggers from the Prohibition era. Bertie Brown is the inspiration for a cask-strength Texas bourbon, for example, while a Tennessee rye whiskey is a nod to Josephine Doody.

Serpiente

Under the umbrella of Mayo Akindele’s Houston-based Nomad Spirits Company, this tequila is distilled in Jalisco, Mexico, with 100% blue agave. Its plata, reposado, añejo, and cristallino offerings all come in serpent-shaped bottles.

Tequila with Friends

This Dallas company’s blanco and reposado expressions are made with 100% blue agave that is harvested for seven years, slow-roasted in brick ovens, and double-distilled in copper pots.

Timeless Vodka

Made with Iowa corn, this vodka is distilled four times and purified with coconut carbon.

Virginia​

Tusk Spirits

This producer makes hemp seed-infused spirits, including 100% corn vodka, and a molasses-based rum.

Washington, D.C.​

Blackleaf Organic Vodka

Founded by Washington D.C. resident Kevin Larkai, this wheat-based vodka is distilled five times in the Cognac region of France, produced in partnership with Maison Rene Laclie.

Sankofa Bottling Company

This producer’s flavored gin is infused with citrus and berries, bottled at 100 proof.

TCapri Tequila

Produced in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, at Tepozán Distillery, this blanco tequila is made from 100% blue agave that’s been roasted in traditional brick ovens. CEO Tiffani Capri Hainesworth was the first Black woman to solely own a tequila brand.

Wisconsin​

Somrus Liqueur

These cream liqueurs—including coffee, chai cream, and mango flavors—are made with a base of quintuple-distilled rum, which is blended with local Wisconsin dairy.

Chris Frederick and Damola Timeyin standing behind and seating in front of bar, respectively, with bottles of Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka

Chris Frederick (left) and Damola Timeyin (right), founders of Bayab Gin and Vusa Vodka.
Spearhead Spirits Group

Global​

Adaka Vodka

The flagship bottling of this British vodka brand is infused with spices inspired by founder Chris Adaka’s Nigerian upbringing. He also offers a vodka-based toffee-flavored liqueur.

Araceli Marigold Liqueur

Handcrafted in Tequila, Mexico, this floral liqueur is inspired by the flowers that are used during Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

Bayab

This London-based gin uses Africa-sourced botanicals from the baobab tree. Its bottlings include classic African Dry, burnt orange and marula, and African rose water.

E. Cuarenta

Named after owner and recording artist E40, who works with a Tequila distillery, this 100% blue agave tequila comes in blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions.

Man inspecting fermentation tanks at Equiano Rum

Production facilities at Equiano Rum.
Equiano Rum
Equiano Rum

This light rum, a collaboration between two distilleries, is a blend of barrel-aged molasses rum from the Caribbean and sugar cane rum from Africa.

Grand Leyenda Tequila

This tequila comes in blanco, silver, reposado, and añejo expressions. Agave plants sourced to create it are grown for 10–12 years in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Kind of Blue Whisky

This blended Scotch whisky is made with a blend of malts from Islay, the Highlands, and Speyside.

La Boca Tequila

Owned by rapper Erik Simmons, also known as E Sosa, this tequila is available in blanco and reposado expressions.

Lassere Liqueur

Made by a Louisiana entrepreneur in partnership with a French distiller, this cognac-based liqueur is infused with honey.

Matugga Rum

These rums are produced in Scotland using Africa-sourced ingredients. Its Golden expression is distilled in copper pot stills and matured in ex-bourbon casks, while its spiced offering is infused with a masala chai blend.

Mascota Tequila

This brand, which comes in dog-shaped bottles crafted by artisans in Pachuca, Mexico, aims to raise awareness for pet adoption, and donates a portion of proceeds to non-profit animal shelters. Its blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are made with 100% blue agave distilled at Vinos y Licores Azteca in Jalisco, Mexico.

Monita Tequila

This 100% agave blanco tequila is named after the late mother of founder Serita Braxton. It is distilled by Tequila Mexico Spirits in Tequila, Mexico.

Nyac Cognac

This producer offers VS and VSOP bottlings that are distilled in France.

Revel Spirits

Made with 100% local agave, this producer’s blanco, reposado, and añejo expressions are triple-distilled at the Morales distillery in the south of Mexico.

Sephina Spirits

Imported from France, this craft spirit is made with a blend of VSOP cognac and fortified wine.

Ten to One Rum

This Caribbean producer makes a dark blended rum that is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, and an unaged white bottling that blends column-still rum from the Dominican Republic with a high-ester Jamaican pot still rum.

Vusa Vodka

This London-based vodka is made from South African sugar cane and distilled in small batches using copper pot stills.
Click to expand...
Great list
 
F

fu2

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
Go ahead and add this thread to my watch list so I can pull it up next time I'm in the liquor store. I've tried 10 things in this thread.

For anyone wanting to try, Uncle Nearest with honey/agave and lemon is my go to when I'm out and want a whiskey but not straight :thumbsup:
 
DC_Dude

DC_Dude

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
fu2 said:
Go ahead and add this thread to my watch list so I can pull it up next time I'm in the liquor store. I've tried 10 things in this thread.

For anyone wanting to try, Uncle Nearest with honey/agave and lemon is my go to when I'm out and want a whiskey but not straight :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
love Uncle Nearest
 

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