What Empirical does

Empirical Spirits is a flavor-focused distilled spirits company founded in 2017, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with US operations conducted through Empirical Inc at 605 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. The company produces a portfolio of seven premium botanical spirits — Empirical Olive (36% ABV), Empirical Stonefruit (32% ABV), Empirical Cilantro (38% ABV), Ayuuk (43% ABV), Soka (43% ABV), Symphony 6 (40% ABV), and the limited-edition Empirical X Doritos (42% ABV) — all priced at $35 per 750ml bottle. Its technical differentiation rests on a proprietary methodology of flavor research, extraction, and layering that the company describes as 'a flavor company first and a spirits company second,' applying culinary and scientific techniques to capture botanical compounds across spirit, water, and acidic solutions.

The company operates three go-to-market motions: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via us.empirical.co (US) and int.empirical.co (international, euro pricing); enterprise wholesale to hospitality through dedicated 'Empirical for Hospitality' and 'Cilantro for Restaurants' programs; and broader retail/distributor partnerships surfaced through a store locator. Customer segments are split between premium cocktail bars and fine dining establishments (the primary channel, anchored by named accounts including Death and Co, PDT, Eleven Madison Park, Atomix, Double Chicken Please, Dead Rabbit, and Maison Premiere) and consumer enthusiasts purchasing DTC. Brand credibility is reinforced by Forbes' 2022 'World's Most Innovative Distillery' recognition and multiple San Francisco Spirits Competition awards.

Revenue mechanics are entirely transactional one-time unit purchases with no subscription model; shipping is flat-rate at $19.99 with free shipping above $140. The company is private, has 11-50 employees, and has completed five funding rounds since 2017 (Miroma Ventures and Science in 2017, Muse Capital in 2019, SGH CAPITAL in 2020, plus two undisclosed rounds including a $3.27M round on 2025-03-10). Strategic partnerships include a flagship co-development with Doritos and minor cocktail collaborations with Frederick and Gold Thread Tonic.

Name

Empirical

Legal name

Empirical Inc

Website

https://empirical.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Empirical Spirits is a flavor-focused distilled spirits company producing seven botanical SKUs using proprietary extraction and layering techniques. Founded in 2017, it sells premium spirits direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and through wholesale programs targeting cocktail bars, restaurants, and fine dining establishments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Spirits Sales: Empirical sells spirits products directly to consumers through their e-commerce platform, offering products like Olive ($35), Stonefruit, Cilantro, Ayuuk, Soka, and Symphony 6. Revenue is generated through one-time purchase transactions with shipping fees.
2. Wholesale to Hospitality: Empirical supplies bars, restaurants, and cocktail establishments through their wholesale program. This includes dedicated programs like 'Empirical for Hospitality' and 'Cilantro for Restaurants' targeting professional buyers in the cocktail and culinary industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Empirical is a flavor-focused distillery that manufactures and sells a portfolio of botanical distilled spirits using a culinary approach. The company applies proprietary flavor research, extraction, and layering methodologies to produce innovative spirits such as Olive, Stonefruit, Cilantro, Ayuuk, Soka, and Symphony 6, sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and through wholesale to cocktail bars and restaurants.

Product overview

Empirical is a flavor-focused spirits company that applies a culinary approach to producing spirits. The company offers a portfolio of seven distinct botanical spirits products sold direct-to-consumer via their e-commerce platform and through wholesale channels. Core products include Empirical Olive (36% ABV), Empirical Stonefruit (32% ABV), Empirical Cilantro (38% ABV), Ayuuk (43% ABV), Soka (43% ABV), and Symphony 6 (40% ABV), along with a brand collaboration product Empirical X Doritos (42% ABV). The company's differentiation lies in its culinary-based flavor research, extraction, and layering methodologies rather than traditional distilling approaches.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Empirical: Primary spirits brand featuring botanical and innovative spirits including Olive, Stonefruit, Cilantro, Ayuuk, Soka, and Symphony 6.

Products and services

• Empirical Olive

Named customers14 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• DoritosflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpirical partnered with Doritos to create 'Empirical X Doritos' - a unique limited-edition spirit capturing the indulgent flavors of nacho cheese Doritos in liquid form. The product opens with umami and tangy aromas of nacho cheese, moves into deeper corn-forward flavors, and finishes on a soft salty note. This represents a bold brand collaboration targeting snack enthusiasts and cocktail innovation seekers.
• FrederickminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpirical collaborated with Frederick on a cocktail featuring Gold Thread tonic. This appears to be a product collaboration or cocktail development partnership showcasing integration of Empirical spirits with complementary products.
• Gold Thread TonicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold Thread tonic is featured in Empirical x Frederick cocktail collaborations, suggesting a marketing partnership where Empirical spirits are paired with Gold Thread tonic for cocktail development and promotional content.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Greenhook Ginsmiths: Brooklyn-based craft distillery producing innovative botanical spirits at a similar scale to Empirical. Both operate from Brooklyn with comparable team sizes and target the same craft cocktail and bar program customer base with flavor-forward, unconventional spirit profiles.
• St. George Spirits: California craft distillery known for pioneering innovative spirits categories including absinthe, aquavit, and botanical liqueurs. Shares Empirical's experimental approach and emphasis on novel flavor extraction, serving overlapping craft bartender and enthusiast customers.
• FEW Spirits: Craft distillery producing small-batch whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits with an innovative, non-traditional approach. Similar size and premium positioning to Empirical, with comparable focus on craft cocktail and craft bar customer segments.
• Corsair Distillery: Craft distillery known for experimental and unusual grain bills and aging approaches, including quinoa whiskey and other novel creations. Mirrors Empirical's flavor-research-first philosophy and small-batch, premium positioning.
• Smooth Ambler: West Virginia craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits with a focus on quality and craft credentials. Comparable in scale and premium positioning to Empirical, with similar bar program and enthusiast customer base.
• Brenne: French single malt whiskey brand with small-batch, premium positioning and a culinary approach to spirits production. Comparable in scale, premium pricing, and craft cocktail audience overlap with Empirical.

Broad incumbents

• Hendrick's Gin: Established premium botanical gin brand from William Grant & Sons with a quirky, unconventional brand identity similar to Empirical's flavor-led positioning. Much larger scale, but competes for the same bartender mindshare in the botanical/flavor-forward spirits segment.
• Aviation Gin: Mainstream craft gin brand with botanical-forward positioning and celebrity-backed marketing (Ryan Reynolds). Operates at significantly larger scale than Empirical but targets overlapping craft cocktail consumers and bartender customers.
• St-Germain: Premium elderflower liqueur from Bacardi that established a new botanical spirits category through bartender adoption. Represents the scaled version of Empirical's flavor-first strategy and a potential acquirer or strategic partner profile.
• Sipsmith: Established London craft gin distillery acquired by Beam Suntory. Represents a successful craft spirits brand scaling trajectory that is comparable to where Empirical could go, with similar botanical and quality-first positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuPECE7F6WXjluGTS87S7tA
• Facebookfacebook.com/empiricalspirits
• Instagraminstagram.com/empiricalspirits
• Xx.com/empiricalcph

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empirical