Wonderbird Spirits
Wonderbird Spirits is a craft gin distillery in Taylor, Mississippi, producing grain-to-glass gin via sake-inspired fermentation using Mississippi Delta rice. Founded in 2017, it sells award-winning gins through DTC retail, a tasting room, e-commerce, and wholesale across ten U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMississippi State, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wonderbird Spirits does
Wonderbird Spirits is a craft gin distillery headquartered in Taylor, Mississippi, operating as North Mississippi's first distillery and Mississippi's first grain-to-glass gin producer. Founded in 2017 by Chand Harlow, Rob Forster, and Thomas Alexander, the company opened its Spring 2019 distillery on Old Taylor Road after two years of product and process development. The production process is built on a sake-inspired fermentation of Mississippi Delta jasmine rice, producing a clean base spirit onto which ten botanicals are layered through individual botanical distillation; two of the flagship Gin No. 61 botanicals (pine needles and red clover) are estate-harvested from the distillery grounds.
The product portfolio consists of four gin expressions: Dry Gin (classic London dry style), Gin No. 61 (flagship, two gold medals at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition), No. 97 Magnolia Experimental (gold medal 2021 SFWSC), and Cask Finished Gin (barrel-aged for sipping). Wonderbird generates revenue through a diversified mix of channels including distillery retail (gift and bottle shop), a new tasting room on the Downtown Oxford Square with cocktail service, its own e-commerce storefront (shop.wonderbirdspirits.com), the Seelbach's online retail partnership, wholesale distribution to liquor stores across ten U.S. states (MS, AL, CA, FL, GA, IL, LA, SC, NY, TN), and on-premise sales to bars and restaurants. Ticketed experiential revenue comes from a Gin Dinner Series, bar pop-ups, and distillery tours.
The company is privately held with 11-50 employees and appears bootstrapped with modest disclosed funding rounds totaling approximately $620K. Marketing is centered on brand storytelling, Mississippi Delta provenance, experiential events with award-winning chefs and bars (including James Beard Award-winner Jewel of the South), and earned media coverage in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and Houston Chronicle. Award recognition and a first-mover position in North Mississippi underpin a premium craft positioning that is the company's primary competitive lever.
Wonderbird Spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wonderbird Spirits
- Legal name
- Wonderbird Spirits
- Website
- https://wonderbirdspirits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wonderbird Spirits is a craft gin distillery in Taylor, Mississippi, producing grain-to-glass gin via sake-inspired fermentation using Mississippi Delta rice. Founded in 2017, it sells award-winning gins through DTC retail, a tasting room, e-commerce, and wholesale across ten U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wonderbird Spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (31214)
- 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), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
Keywords
Where Wonderbird Spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mississippi State
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Wonderbird Spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Spirits Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales of award-winning gins including Dry Gin, Gin No. 61, Magnolia Experimental, and Cask Finished Gin. Products sold through distillery retail, tasting room, online store, liquor stores, and restaurants/bars.
- Tasting Room & Cocktail Service: On-premise sales of cocktails at their tasting room on the Oxford Square. Cocktail service offered Thursday evenings (5 PM - 9 PM) with expanded menu during evening service. Additional cocktail service on Saturday evenings.
- Tours and Tastings: Guided distillery tours and tasting experiences available by appointment Monday through Saturday. Booked through Tock reservation system.
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise through their online store (store.wonderbirdspirits.com) including apparel and other items.
- Event Experiences: Revenue from ticketed events including gin dinners with guest chefs, bar pop-ups, and live music performances at the distillery.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bottle and merchandise purchases via distillery retail, online store, and liquor stores |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Wonderbird Spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wonderbird Spirits is a craft distillery that produces premium gin using a proprietary sake-inspired fermentation process with Mississippi Delta jasmine rice. The grain-to-glass operation manufactures four gin expressions and supports them with on-site tasting room experiences, tours, and cocktail classes at its Oxford, Mississippi distillery.
Product overview
Wonderbird Spirits is a craft gin distillery offering four distinct gin expressions. The product portfolio centers on a proprietary fermentation process using Mississippi Delta jasmine rice, inspired by traditional sake making, which creates a clean base for layering botanical flavors. Products include Gin No. 61 (flagship, 10 botanicals), Dry Gin (classic London dry style), No. 97 Magnolia Experimental (floral-forward experimental series), and Cask Finished Gin (barrel-aged variant). All products share the same rice-based base spirit while varying in botanical profiles and finishing techniques. The company also operates a distillery in Taylor, MS with tours and tastings, and a tasting room on the Oxford Square.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Two gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2020
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wonderbird Spirits
Customer profileSegments4 records
Wonderbird Spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Wonderbird Spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vestige (Chef Kumi Omori & Chef Alex Perry)coreWonderbird Spirits hosted Gin Dinner No. 3 featuring Chef Kumi Omori & Chef Alex Perry of Vestige in Ocean Springs. The special dinner honored their upcoming restaurant Ashiro, inspired by Japan's Tōhoku region. The four-course meal was paired with unique gin cocktails.
- Jewel of the SouthcoreWonderbird hosted Gin Dinner No. 2 at their distillery featuring the award-winning Jewel of the South team from New Orleans. Jewel of the South has won James Beard Award for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar, No. 1 Best Bar in South USA, No. 4 Best Bar in North America, and No. 34 on World's 50 Best Bars.
- Bar LiminaminorBar Limina from Memphis conducted a special bar takeover at Wonderbird's new tasting room on the Square. Led by Josh Conley, the bar created a special cocktail menu featuring Wonderbird gins. Reservations included seat and two cocktails.
- RosecombminorRosecomb, an esteemed bar from Chattanooga, TN, partnered with Wonderbird for a pop-up event at their tasting room on the Oxford Square. The Rosecomb team created a special cocktail menu highlighting Wonderbird gins. Tickets included two cocktails.
- Elvie's (Chef Hunter Evans)coreWonderbird hosted Gin Dinner No. 1 featuring Chef Hunter Evans of Elvie's at their distillery. This was the inaugural event in their Gin Dinner Series.
- Matchbox Matcha & The Lunch BoxminorFeatured vendors at the inaugural Distillery Days event at Wonderbird Spirits. Matchbox Matcha and The Lunch Box provided food and beverage offerings during the Sunday afternoon event.
- Cure (Neal Bodenheimer)minorNeal Bodenheimer and the Cure team conducted a bar takeover, book signing, and interview at the Wonderbird distillery.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wonderbird Spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Aviation Gin: Craft American gin positioned in the premium on-premise segment with a botanical-forward profile, comparable in craft gin category, multi-state distribution, and cocktail-bar-led marketing.
- St. George Spirits: California-based craft distillery known for botanically driven gin expressions and experimental small-batch releases, directly comparable in craft positioning, individual botanical approach, and gin-forward SKU strategy.
- Sipsmith: London craft gin distillery emphasizing small-batch, single-distillery production with a flagship London Dry, comparable in craft gin positioning and premium retail/on-premise distribution model.
- Catoctin Creek: Virginia craft distillery producing gin, rye whiskey, and brandy, comparable as an independent, founder-led craft distillery building a regional premium spirits brand.
- Few Spirits: Chicago-area craft distillery producing gin and whiskey with a grain-to-glass ethos and tasting room experience, comparable in founder-led craft model and DTC-led distribution.
- Smooth Ambler: West Virginia craft distillery operating a distillery experience plus multi-state distribution, comparable as a small, independently owned craft producer with award-winning core products.
- Castle & Key: Kentucky craft distillery combining restored historic grounds with a tasting room, distillery tours, and award-winning gin and whiskey, comparable in experiential DTC model and craft premium positioning.
- Old Fourth Distillery: Atlanta-based craft distillery producing gin and whiskey with a tasting room and bar program, comparable as a Southern craft producer with a strong on-premise presence.
- Treaty Oak Distilling: Texas craft distillery with a tasting room, multi-state distribution, and experimental gin and whiskey releases, comparable in craft distillery format and premium on-premise strategy.
Broad incumbents
- Hendrick's Gin: William Grant-owned premium gin with a botanical-led, unusual-infusion identity and strong cocktail-bar presence, comparable as a broader incumbent that uses a distinctive botanical story to compete in the premium gin category.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wonderbird Spirits social profiles
Digital presenceWonderbird Spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wonderbird Spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Wonderbird Spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wonderbird Spirits 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 Wonderbird Spirits
What does Wonderbird Spirits do?
Wonderbird Spirits is a craft distillery that produces premium gin using a proprietary sake-inspired fermentation process with Mississippi Delta jasmine rice. The grain-to-glass operation manufactures four gin expressions and supports them with on-site tasting room experiences, tours, and cocktail classes at its Oxford, Mississippi distillery.
Is Wonderbird Spirits a public or private company?
Wonderbird Spirits is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Wonderbird Spirits founded?
Wonderbird Spirits was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wonderbird Spirits based?
Wonderbird Spirits is headquartered in Mississippi State, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wonderbird Spirits make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Spirits Sales are the primary driver. The others are tasting Room & Cocktail Service, tours and Tastings, merchandise and event Experiences.
Who are Wonderbird Spirits's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Aviation Gin, St. George Spirits, Sipsmith, Catoctin Creek, Few Spirits, Smooth Ambler, Castle & Key, Old Fourth Distillery and Treaty Oak Distilling. Hendrick's Gin is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Wonderbird Spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wonderbird Spirits.
What industry is Wonderbird Spirits in?
Wonderbird Spirits's product category is Craft Spirits. 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 31214 and its SIC code is 5180.