Mississippi River Distilling Company

Name

Mississippi River Distilling Company

Legal name

Mississippi River Distilling Company

Website

https://mrdistilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mississippi River Distilling Company is a family-owned craft distillery in Le Claire, Iowa producing grain-to-glass spirits from locally sourced grains, operating tasting rooms, an event venue, and custom whiskey programs for retail and experiential customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Craft distillery spirits
• Grain to glass whiskey
• Handcrafted vodka gin
• Craft cocktail experiences
• Private event venue hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Le Claire

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Spirits Sales: Direct bottle sales of spirits including vodkas, gins, whiskeys, and liqueurs at retail prices ranging from $22-$53 per bottle. Sales through distillery tasting rooms, Iowa retailers, and Illinois through Binny's.
2. Cocktail Sales: On-site cocktail sales at Cocktail House and Downtown Lounge locations. Take-home cocktails available in 750ml bottles (5-6 cocktails per bottle) and single-serving sealed jars.
3. Distillery Tours and Tastings: Free distillery tours on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tastings available for $5 (4 samples) with $5 coupon for bottle purchase.
4. Private Tasting Experiences: $100 for up to 4 people for private cocktail classes or whiskey tastings, $25 per additional person. Includes cocktail making or whiskey education experiences.
5. Event Venue Rental: The Celebration Center (9,000 sq ft event space) hosts weddings, corporate events, private parties with various venue spaces including The 21st Floor, Pilot's Lookout, Barrel Cellar, The Hideaway, and River Watch.
6. Custom Whiskey Program: $6,000 per custom 30-gallon barrel of whiskey ($3,000 upfront, $3,000 on completion), producing approximately 150 bottles at ~$40 per bottle.
7. Barrel Sales: Adopt-a-Barrel program for $400 includes adoption certificate, filling 6 bottles of whiskey (retail $252), and keeping the empty barrel (retail $150). Direct barrel sales for $150 when available.
8. Custom Label Vodka: Custom-labeled vodka program: 120 bottles (6 x 750ml cases) for $2,520 plus tax. Turnaround time 60-90 days for first order, 10-20 days for re-orders.
9. Merchandise and Swag: Online store selling hats, t-shirts, hoodies, gift cards, and event tickets. Cannot ship bottles but can ship merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mississippi River Distilling Company is a family-owned craft distillery that manufactures and sells handcrafted grain-to-glass spirits including vodka, gin, whiskey, cream liqueurs, and limited seasonal releases. The company also operates on-site tasting rooms (Cocktail House in Le Claire and Downtown Lounge in Davenport), a 9,000 sq ft Celebration Center event venue, and offers experiential services such as distillery tours, private tastings, cocktail classes, custom whiskey barrel programs, and adopt-a-barrel experiences.

Product overview

Mississippi River Distilling Company is a family-owned craft distillery offering a portfolio of handcrafted grain-to-glass spirits. The core product line includes clear spirits (River Pilot Vodka, River Rose Gin, River Baron Artisan Spirit) and cream liqueurs (Iowish Cream in Original, Salted Caramel, and Peanut Butter variants). The flagship Cody Road Whiskey line features bourbon, rye, single barrel expressions, American malt, and barrel-aged cocktails. Seasonal and limited releases include fruit-flavored whiskeys and liqueurs (Peach, Blackberry, Mint Julep, Honey, Maple, Big Peach, Iowa Coffee Company Liqueur, Egg Nog, Strawberry Vodka). Beyond bottled spirits, the company operates hospitality venues (Cocktail House in LeClaire, Downtown Lounge in Davenport, Celebration Center event venue) and offers experiential services including distillery tours, private whiskey tastings, cocktail classes, a custom whiskey barrel program, and barrel adoption program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cody Road Whiskey: Line of bourbon, rye, and specialty whiskeys named after Buffalo Bill Cody, born in Le Claire, Iowa in 1846.
• River Pilot Vodka
• River Rose Gin
• River Baron Artisan Spirit
• Iowish Cream Liqueur

Products and services

• Cody Road Whiskey Line Handcrafted whiskey line including bourbon, rye, single barrel expressions, American malt, and barrel-aged Old Fashioned cocktail. Named after Buffalo Bill Cody, born in Le Claire, Iowa. Bourbon aged four years in 30-gallon newly charred oak barrels. Priced $34-$53 per bottle.
• Clear Spirits (River Pilot Vodka, River Rose Gin, River Baron Artisan Spirit) Handcrafted clear spirits produced on German copper still 'Rose' from local corn and wheat. River Pilot Vodka ($22) honors river pilots; River Rose Gin ($34) honors the gracious life along the river with local botanicals and citrus; River Baron Artisan Spirit ($28) honors Mississippi River traders.
• Limited & Seasonal Spirit Releases Limited and seasonal spirits including Iowish Cream Liqueur (Original, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Egg Nog variants), Cody Road Honey (using nearly 60 gallons of clover honey per batch), Cody Road Maple, Cody Road Peach, Cody Road Blackberry, Cody Road Mint Julep (limited to 250 bottles annually), Big Peach Liqueur, Iowa Coffee Company Liqueur, River Pilot Strawberry Vodka, and Cody Road X Experimental Series.
• Le Claire Cocktail House & Distillery Tasting room and hospitality venue at the flagship Le Claire distillery (303 North Cody Road). Offers full cocktail menu, take-home cocktails in 750ml bottles, distillery tours, tastings, and regular event programming including Whiskey Wednesday, Industry Night, Sunday Funday, Friday Night Live, and Summer Music Series.
• Downtown Lounge (Davenport) Tasting room and cocktail lounge at 318 East 2nd Street on Motor Row in Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Offers cocktail menu, private tasting experiences, Cocktail Corner reservations (up to 12 guests), Downtown Community Night charity program, and regular event programming.
• Celebration Center Event Venue 9,000 square-foot event venue with multiple spaces including The 21st Floor (3,000 sq ft, capacity 150), Pilot's Lookout (capacity 80 seated or 150 theater-style), Barrel Cellar, The Hideaway, and River Watch (capacity 40). Hosts weddings, corporate events, private parties, rehearsal dinners, and charity fundraisers with rooftop patio and whiskey cellar.
• Private Tasting Experiences Private cocktail-making classes and whiskey tasting experiences for groups of 2+ people. Priced at $100 for up to 4 people and $25 per additional person. Includes cocktail making or whiskey education experiences at either the Cocktail House or Downtown Lounge.
• Distillery Tours Free guided distillery tours offered Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Tastings available separately for $5 (4 samples) with $5 coupon toward bottle purchase. Tours showcase the grain-to-glass production process and German copper still 'Rose'.
• Custom Whiskey Program Custom whiskey barrel program allowing customers to choose whiskey type, grain bill, aging time, and design custom labels. Each 30-gallon barrel produces approximately 150 bottles priced at $6,000 per barrel ($3,000 upfront, $3,000 on completion). Ideal for personalized gifts, weddings, or special events.
• Adopt-a-Barrel Program Customer barrel adoption program where customers adopt rye or bourbon barrels, fill 6 bottles to take home, and keep the empty barrel as a collectible. Priced at $400 (includes adoption certificate, 6 bottles of whiskey retail value $252, and empty barrel retail value $150). Direct barrel sales available for $150 plus tax when stock allows.
• Custom Label Vodka Custom-labeled vodka production service including TTB label submission, printing, and bottling. Minimum order of 120 bottles (6 x 750ml cases) for $2,520 plus tax. First order turnaround is 60-90 days, re-orders take 10-20 days. Suitable for weddings, corporate gifts, and special events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of grains sourced from within 25 miles of distillery
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Parallel Brewery CollectivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParallel Brewery Collective represents MRDC in Iowa markets through sales representatives including Nick Bandy (Iowa Sales Director), Steven McDonald (Central/Western Iowa), Morgan Zeschke (Northern Iowa), and Andrew Shelton (Eastern Iowa). They handle sales distribution and relationship management with retailers across Iowa.
• Binny'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIllinois retailer through which MRDC products are sold online. MRDC directs Illinois consumers to Binny's online store for purchases.
• Iowa Coffee CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Iowa company that provides coffee for the Iowish Cream Liqueur. Partnership allows MRDC to create unique local flavor profiles combining Iowa coffee with their cream liqueur.
• Great River MapleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of 100% pure grade A maple syrup from Garnavillo, Iowa used in Cody Road Maple whiskey. Also produces Barrel Aged Maple Syrup using MRDC's Cody Road barrels, creating a cross-promotional relationship.
• Cinnamon Ridge Dairy FarmminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal supplier of cheese curds served at the LeClaire Distillery. Local food and drink pairing experience for customers.
• Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage AreaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Partner Site of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, driving heritage tourism and educational visitors to the distillery.
• Great River BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPizza delivery partnership at the Downtown Lounge location. Great River Brewery delivers pizza directly to customers' tables, enhancing the food and drink experience.
• Crawford Company BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinter 2024 release of Cody Road X Experimental Series featured Crawford Company Brewery Beer Barrel Finished Bourbon.
• Backpocket BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinter 2023 release featured Backpocket Brewery Beer Barrel Finished Bourbon as part of the Cody Road X Experimental Series.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Breaker Bourbon: Wisconsin-based small-batch bourbon producer marketing a regional craft whiskey identity. Comparable as a Midwest craft whiskey competitor targeting similar on-premise and retail accounts.
• Starlight Distillery: Indiana craft distillery on a farm estate producing bourbon, rye, and other spirits with a hospitality/tasting room experience. Comparable craft production plus on-site experiential model.
• Corsair Distillery: Nashville craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and experimental spirits with a tasting room and tour program. Comparable grain-to-glass craft approach and experimental limited releases.
• Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery: Louisville-based craft distillery producing brandy, whiskey, and gin with a strong on-site hospitality and event venue model. Comparable emphasis on taproom experience layered onto spirits production.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery known for small-batch bourbon and whiskey with an experiential tasting room. Comparable in scale, craft positioning, and premium whiskey-led product mix.
• Templeton Rye: Iowa-based craft rye whiskey distillery with a regional heritage story and Midwest wholesale footprint. Closest peer given shared Iowa origin, rye focus, and grain-to-glass craft positioning.
• FEW Spirits: Evanston, Illinois craft distillery with a tasting room and broad whiskey/gin portfolio. Comparable as a neighboring Midwest craft distillery serving similar regional on-premise and retail customers.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits from local grains. Comparable as a Midwest craft producer with a tasting room and on-site experience component.

Broad incumbents

• Wild Turkey: Major Kentucky bourbon producer owned by Campari Group with national and global distribution. Comparable as a benchmark for bourbon category competition and the scale MRDC competes against in on-premise accounts.
• Buffalo Trace Distillery: Flagship Sazerac-owned Kentucky bourbon producer with broad national distribution and deep brand equity. Comparable as the dominant bourbon incumbent competing for retail shelf space and on-premise placements.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mrdistilling
• Xx.com/mrdistilling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mississippi-river-distilling-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Mississippi River Distilling Company