Stoli Group USA will take over the national distribution, sales and marketing of bourbon brand Kentucky Owl, and will oversee a rollout into markets worldwide.
Stoli said that the move would ‘add a whiskey brand with a rich history to its burgeoning wine and spirits portfolio’.
The brand traces its roots back to 1879 and produced bourbon until shortly before American prohibition; in 1919, a mysterious fire leveled the warehouse where Kentucky Owl was being stored, and it is rumoured that a crime boss of the era potentially struck a back-hand deal for the contents, keeping them in good supply throughout the 13 years that alcohol was illegal.
Dixon Dedman, the great-great-grandson of founder Charles Mortimer Dedman, joined forces with California winemakers Mark and Sherri Carter to bring Kentucky Owl back to the market in small quantities back in 2008, reigniting a story that, by that time, was over 125 years old.
Dedman will continue to play a role as brand ambassador as Kentucky Owl is introduced in more markets both in the US and overseas.
Dmitry Efimov, CEO of parent company SPI Group, said: “When we began considering American whiskies, we were attracted to Kentucky Owl because of its complex yet very smooth taste profile. Upon sitting down with the owners and hearing the story, we became really enthusiastic about revitalising the brand and concluded that this would be the bourbon to anchor a whiskey line for SPI. Our USA team is poised to bring this to market.”
Stoli Group USA president Patrick Piana added: “Kentucky Owl is a great next step for our portfolio of premium and luxury brands. Bourbons have been experiencing impressive growth recently and we see a strong opportunity in the super-premium sub-category, in particular. I’m looking forward to working together with Dixon Dedman to accelerate the trusted product his family built into the cult bourbon brand for the North American brown spirits consumer.”
As a small-batch, super-premium bourbon, the brand will add a new and varied option to the Stoli Group’s portfolio and will be well-represented by Stoli Group’s team of spirits experts, the business said. Stoli Group USA will begin by expanding Kentucky Owl’s presence in the southern states, where its talons first took root, and it will also take flight to major US cities.
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