Pinhook Bourbon
Pinhook Bourbon is a craft American whiskey company that releases annual vintage bourbons and ryes distilled at Castle & Key in Kentucky, selling through DTC e-commerce, licensed retailers in roughly half of US states, and on-premise trade accounts to whiskey enthusiasts, collectors, and bars.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pinhook Bourbon does
Pinhook Bourbon (legal entity CJS Beverage Corp) is an American craft whiskey company founded in 2011 by Sean Josephs, Charles Fulford, and Jay Peterson, and now led by CEO John Scarborough and Executive Chair Alice Peterson. The company pioneered a "vintage" approach to American whiskey-making, releasing a new annual flagship bourbon and rye (each priced at $42.99) rather than replicating a fixed flavor profile, and operates a multi-tier product portfolio including the age-vertical Vertical Series (following 1,350 MGP bourbon barrels and 450 rye barrels across 4–16 years of aging), a Collaboration Series featuring limited releases with chefs, sommeliers, and bartenders, and an Artist Series of label-art-driven expressions.
The brand's technical differentiator is its proprietary mash bill program (75% Corn / 20.5% Rye / 4.5% Malted Barley for bourbon; 95% Rye / 5% Malted Barley for rye) distilled at Castle & Key Distillery at the historic Old Taylor site in Frankfort, Kentucky, combined with annual barrel-by-barrel blending and non-chill-filtered bottling. Distribution follows a hybrid model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Shopify storefront) fulfilled through AccelPay's licensed third-party retailer network, plus wholesale and on-premise via a dedicated To The Trade program, reaching approximately half of US states with shipping restrictions in AK, HI, MS, UT, MI, and AR. Pricing ranges from $42.99 (flagship) to $99.99 (Vertical Series 10 Year and Big Horse Single Barrels), with bundled collections supporting gifting and collection-building use cases. Customer segments span whiskey enthusiasts and collectors (primary), trade professionals in bars and restaurants, and gift buyers.
Pinhook Bourbon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pinhook Bourbon
- Legal name
- CJS Beverage Corp
- Website
- https://pinhookbourbon.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pinhook Bourbon is a craft American whiskey company that releases annual vintage bourbons and ryes distilled at Castle & Key in Kentucky, selling through DTC e-commerce, licensed retailers in roughly half of US states, and on-premise trade accounts to whiskey enthusiasts, collectors, and bars.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pinhook Bourbon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Bourbon & Whiskey
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)
Keywords
Where Pinhook Bourbon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pinhook Bourbon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Direct Consumer Sales: Pinhook sells whiskeys directly to consumers through their e-commerce website, with orders fulfilled by licensed third-party retailers in the AccelPay network. Products include flagship expressions, limited Vertical Series releases, Collaboration Series, and Artist Series bottles.
- Wholesale Distribution: Products are available through licensed retailers and in approximately half of US states. Orders for delivery are handled by third-party retailers in the AccelPay network.
- Bundle and Collection Sales: Pinhook offers curated bundles including the Collaboration Series Bundle, Big Horse Rye Bundle, and Big Horse 10yr Bundle, providing bundled pricing with free shipping incentives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flagship Straight Bourbon and Rye |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cask Strength Bourbon |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vertical Series Rye 10 Year |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Big Horse Single Barrel Selections |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Curated Bundles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Limited Edition Series |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Pinhook Bourbon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pinhook Bourbon is a craft American whiskey producer that distills Kentucky straight bourbon and rye whiskey at Castle & Key Distillery, releasing annual vintages crafted from custom mash bills. Rather than replicating a fixed flavor profile year over year, Pinhook embraces natural barrel variations to produce a unique whiskey each vintage, sold through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site and a licensed retail network in approximately half of US states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vertical Series: A limited series of 13 consecutive annual vintages that follows a single group of MGP barrels (with similar fill dates and identical mashbills) as they mature from 4-16 years of age.
- Collaboration Series
- Artist Series
Products and services
- 2026 Straight Bourbon Flagship annual vintage of Pinhook's Kentucky Straight Bourbon, distilled at Castle & Key Distillery from the custom 75% Corn / 20.5% Rye / 4.5% Malted Barley mash bill; released yearly with subtle vintage variations.
- 2026 Straight Rye Flagship annual vintage of Pinhook's Straight Rye Whiskey, distilled from the custom 95% Rye / 5% Malted Barley mash bill at Castle & Key Distillery; released yearly with vintage variation.
- Cask Strength Bourbon Higher-proof bourbon expression bottled at cask strength without dilution, preserving full flavor intensity; targeted at enthusiasts seeking undiluted vintage character.
- Vertical Series Rye 10 Year Limited annual release in the Vertical Series, part of a 13-year program tracking 450 MGP rye barrels from age 4 to 16; the 10-year edition (Tiz Rye Time) was blended from 25 barrels at 106 proof, named Best American Rye at the Ascot Awards (two years running) and Best American Rye at IWSC.
- Big Horse Bourbon Single Barrel - 10 Year Single-barrel selection from the Vertical Series Bourbon 10 Year stock, bottled individually at 117.4 proof for retailers and enthusiasts seeking barrel-specific expression.
- Big Horse Rye Single Barrel - 8 Year Single-barrel rye whiskey expression aged 8 years at 115 proof, offered as part of the Big Horse Single Barrel program.
- Collaboration Series No. 5 Fifth release in the Collaboration Series, created with chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski (Link Restaurant Group); supports the Link Stryjewski Foundation and continues the practice of partnering with luminaries from other sensory-rich fields.
- Collaboration Series No. 4 Fourth release in the Collaboration Series, made with bartender Neal Bodenheimer from Pinhook's custom rye mashbill aged 6 years; limited to 2,000 bottles, with proceeds supporting the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.
- Collaboration Series No. 3 Third release in the Collaboration Series, made with internationally renowned sommelier Jordan Salcito using Australian Starward single malt aged in red wine barrels; bridges wine and whiskey worlds at 114.8 proof.
- Collaboration Series No. 1 (André Hueston Mack) Inaugural release in the Collaboration Series, produced with André Hueston Mack (Maison Noir Wines); a blend of two five-barrel batches from ten Wyoming Whiskey barrels.
- Collaboration Series No. 2 (Garrett Oliver) Second release in the Collaboration Series, produced with Garrett Oliver (Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster and 2014 James Beard Award winner); a high-proof, high-rye bourbon.
- Artist Series No. 3 (Double Blended) Third Artist Series release featuring commissioned artwork by Alexis Pulitzer, depicting Master Blender Sean Josephs at work blending two barrels; titled 'Double Blended'.
- Pinhook Whiskey Bundles Curated multi-bottle bundles (Collaboration Series Bundle, Big Horse Rye Bundle, Big Horse 10yr Bundle) offered with bundled pricing and free shipping incentives for collectors and gift buyers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Double Gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Vertical Series Bourbon 10 Year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pinhook Bourbon
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pinhook Bourbon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Pinhook Bourbon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Donald Link and Stephen StryjewskiflagshipCollaboration Series No. 5: Partnership with chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski of Link Restaurant Group, two of the most influential figures in New Orleans dining. Supports Link Stryjewski Foundation.
- Neal BodenheimerflagshipCollaboration Series No. 4: James Beard Award-winning bartender and bar owner partnered to create a limited rye release of 2,000 bottles, blended live at Tales of the Cocktail 2025. Supports Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.
- Jordan SalcitoflagshipCollaboration Series No. 3: Partnership with internationally renowned sommelier Jordan Salcito, blending Australian single malt whisky from Starward Distillery aged in red wine barrels, bridging wine and whiskey worlds.
- Garrett OliverflagshipCollaboration Series No. 2: Partnership with Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and 2014 James Beard Award winner, to produce a high-proof, high-rye bourbon.
- André Hueston MackflagshipCollaboration Series No. 1: Inaugural release in partnership with André Hueston Mack, founder of Maison Noir Wines. Blend of two five-barrel batches from ten Wyoming Whiskey barrels purchased in 2012.
- Castle & Key DistillerycorePinhook distills its custom mash bills at Castle & Key Distillery, located at the historic Old Taylor Distillery site in Frankfort, Kentucky. The first whiskeys from this site in nearly 50 years form the basis of Pinhook's core expressions.
- Bourbon Lane Stable / McMahon & Hill BloodstockcoreAnnual partnership to select thoroughbred horses featured on Pinhook labels. Mike McMahon and Jamie Hill identify promising horses with bourbon and rye-inspired names. Bourbon Lane Stable clients have raced 245 stakes horses including 75 graded stakes horses.
- MGP (Lawrenceburg Distillers)coreOriginal barrel sourcing from MGP (formerly Lawrenceburg Distillers) in Indiana. Pinhook purchased their initial 20 barrels from this supplier in 2011 and continues to source barrels for their Vertical Series aging program.
- AccelPaycoreE-commerce payment and fulfillment partner. AccelPay's network of licensed third-party retailers handles order processing and shipping for direct consumer purchases on pinhookbourbon.com.
- Link Stryjewski FoundationminorFoundation founded by Collaboration Series No. 5 partners Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, dedicated to breaking the cycle of violence and poverty by expanding access to quality education and job training for young people in New Orleans.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pinhook Bourbon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Smooth Ambler: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon and rye, including sourced and aged expressions. Comparable as an independent craft whiskey maker using sourced barrels and custom mash bills with a strong limited-release line.
- WhistlePig: Vermont-based rye whiskey brand built on a vintage, single-barrel, age-statement approach with premium pricing and awards. Closely comparable to Pinhook in vintage methodology, rye focus, and craft-to-premium positioning.
- Angel's Envy: Louisville-based craft bourbon and rye brand (acquired by Bacardi) known for premium finished whiskeys and limited releases. Comparable as a craft-to-premium independent with limited annual releases and strong storytelling.
- Castle & Key Distillery: Kentucky distillery at the restored Old Taylor site in Frankfort that distills Pinhook's custom mash bills and also releases its own bourbon and rye lines. Comparable as a craft spirits producer operating from a heritage site with a tourism and tasting-room component.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company: Kentucky craft distiller producing a broad range of sourced and custom bourbon and rye with a strong collaborations program. Comparable to Pinhook in custom mash bills, sourced-barrel sourcing, and award-driven premium positioning.
- Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft bourbon and rye producer known for award-winning small-batch releases and contract distilling relationships. Comparable to Pinhook in craft scale, Kentucky provenance, and custom bourbon/rye mash bills.
- Michter's: American whiskey producer with custom mash bills, sourced barrels, and a vintage/limited-release approach across bourbon and rye. Comparable to Pinhook in craft-to-super-premium pricing, age-statement releases, and award-led positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Four Roses Bourbon: Established Kentucky bourbon producer owned by Kirin with ten distinct recipes and a deep single-barrel and limited-edition program. Comparable to Pinhook in custom mash bills, single-barrel/small-series releases, and craft-to-premium positioning, though at much larger scale.
- Woodford Reserve: Brown-Forman premium Kentucky bourbon with a strong limited-edition and Double Oaked program. Comparable to Pinhook in premium Kentucky bourbon positioning, finished/aged variants, and giftable presentation.
- Old Forester: Brown-Forman heritage bourbon brand with a deep single-barrel and limited-series program. Comparable to Pinhook in vintage and small-series storytelling within the bourbon category, though at national-scale distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pinhook Bourbon social profiles
Digital presencePinhook Bourbon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pinhook Bourbon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pinhook Bourbon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pinhook Bourbon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pinhook Bourbon
What does Pinhook Bourbon do?
Pinhook Bourbon is a craft American whiskey producer that distills Kentucky straight bourbon and rye whiskey at Castle & Key Distillery, releasing annual vintages crafted from custom mash bills. Rather than replicating a fixed flavor profile year over year, Pinhook embraces natural barrel variations to produce a unique whiskey each vintage, sold through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site and a licensed retail network in approximately half of US states.
Is Pinhook Bourbon a public or private company?
Pinhook Bourbon is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pinhook Bourbon founded?
Pinhook Bourbon was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pinhook Bourbon based?
Pinhook Bourbon is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pinhook Bourbon make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Consumer Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution and bundle and Collection Sales.
Who are Pinhook Bourbon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Smooth Ambler, WhistlePig, Angel's Envy, Castle & Key Distillery, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Wilderness Trail Distillery and Michter's. Broad incumbents are Four Roses Bourbon, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester.
Does Pinhook Bourbon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pinhook Bourbon.
What industry is Pinhook Bourbon in?
Pinhook Bourbon's product category is Craft Bourbon & Whiskey. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAC, Spirits Distilling & Brands, with a secondary code of AFAFAAAC, Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling. Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 5180.