Misguided Spirits

What Misguided Spirits does

Misguided Spirits is a privately held, employee-owned craft spirits producer founded in 2018 and headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois. The company manufactures and sells a portfolio of eight distilled spirits: Vodka, Whiskey, Gin, Aged Rum, Silver Rum, Tequila Reposado, Tequila Blanco, and Triple Sec. Its core technology is product formulation and brand development rather than a software or data platform, and the company's digital presence runs on a standard Squarespace website.

The company's go-to-market is split across three domestic channels: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront for bottle sales, wholesale distribution to bars and restaurants, and physical retail outlets through its "Outlets & Events" program. Its primary customer segment is bartenders and bar professionals, whom it explicitly courts with a "by bartenders, for bartenders" mission, supplemented by individual consumers purchasing for home consumption and gifting. Marketing relies on community storytelling, recipe content (e.g., Piña Colada, Spicy Margarita, Last Word, Misguided Mojito), an "Our Diaries" editorial series, and an email newsletter funnel.

The business model is straightforward unit sales of alcoholic beverages through the channels above; pricing is not publicly disclosed and customers must navigate to the shop or contact the company for details. The company has raised approximately $618,271 across two disclosed funding rounds (August 2023: $472,000; May 2025: $146,271) and reports no institutional investors, external parent, or public ticker. Co-founder James Zinkand is the named founder, and the firm operates with 11-50 employees.

Name

Misguided Spirits

Website

https://misguided-spirits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Misguided Spirits is an employee-owned craft spirits producer founded in 2018 in Des Plaines, Illinois, selling Vodka, Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Tequila, and Triple Sec to bartenders, bars, restaurants, and individual consumers via DTC e-commerce and wholesale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Retail & Whiskey Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAD)

Keywords

• Craft spirits
• Premium vodka
• Whiskey distillery
• Tequila production
• Bartender community

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Plaines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Spirits Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of alcoholic beverages including vodka, whiskey, gin, rum, tequila, and triple sec. Sales occur through direct e-commerce transactions with consumers as well as wholesale distribution to bars, restaurants, and retail outlets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Misguided Spirits is an employee-owned craft spirits producer that manufactures and sells a portfolio of distilled alcoholic beverages, including Vodka, Whiskey, Gin, Aged Rum, Silver Rum, Tequila Reposado, Tequila Blanco, and Triple Sec. The company sells bottles through its own e-commerce shop and distributes to bars, restaurants, and retail outlets, with a brand identity built around bartender community and craft cocktail usage.

Product overview

Misguided Spirits is an employee-owned and operated spirits brand producing a portfolio of alcoholic beverages including Vodka, Whiskey, Gin, Rum (Aged and Silver varieties), Tequila (Reposado and Blanco), and Triple Sec. The products are positioned for the bartender community and are distributed through retail outlets and bars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vodka Distilled vodka offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio, positioned for craft cocktail use by bartenders and consumers.
• Whiskey Whiskey spirit offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for cocktail and sipping use.
• Gin Gin spirit offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for craft cocktail use.
• Rum (Aged Rum) Aged rum offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for cocktail preparation.
• Silver Rum Silver rum offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for cocktail preparation.
• Tequila Reposado Reposado tequila (aged) offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for cocktail and sipping use.
• Tequila Blanco Blanco (silver) tequila offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio for cocktail preparation.
• Triple Sec Triple Sec orange liqueur offered as part of the Misguided Spirits core portfolio, used as a cocktail modifier.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FEW Spirits: Evanston, IL-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and bourbon with a bar/cocktail culture focus. Most direct Midwest competitor with overlapping product mix and on-premise distribution strategy.
• Bully Boy Distillers: Boston craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum with on-premise and DTC distribution. Comparable small-batch urban craft distillery with similar portfolio breadth.
• Ransom Spirits: Oregon craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and amaros with a premium on-premise and specialty retail focus. Comparable craft spirits portfolio and bar-channel go-to-market.
• Journeyman Distillery: Michigan craft distillery with a multi-spirit portfolio (whiskey, gin, vodka, rum) plus an on-site tasting room and bar program. Comparable on portfolio breadth and experience-driven craft positioning.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery with a multi-spirit portfolio led by whiskey plus gin, vodka, and rum. Comparable small-batch craft producer selling through on-premise, retail, and DTC channels.
• Green Hat Gin: Washington DC craft distillery producing gin and other spirits with a strong bar and cocktail community orientation. Comparable small craft producer with mixologist-focused branding.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and specialty liqueurs with a strong on-premise and specialty retail presence. Comparable regional craft producer with similar multi-SKU cocktail-driven portfolio.
• Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. Louisville-based craft distillery specializing in brandy and gin with a bar and cocktail-program focus. Comparable craft distillery targeting on-premise accounts and mixologists.
• Tattersall Distilling: Minneapolis-based craft distillery producing a broad multi-category spirits portfolio (vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, liqueurs) with a bar- and cocktail-focused go-to-market. Closely comparable to Misguided Spirits on portfolio breadth, bar-channel focus, and craft positioning.

Broad incumbents

• New Holland Brewing: Michigan-based producer operating across beer and spirits (whiskey, gin, vodka) with broader distribution and a tasting room business. Larger and more diversified craft producer, comparable on multi-category craft positioning and on-premise focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

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 Misguided Spirits