Whiskey Acres

What Whiskey Acres does

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. is a privately held estate distillery operated from a 11504 Keslinger Rd, DeKalb, Illinois farm, where fifth-generation farmers cultivate proprietary grain — including rare heirloom corn varieties such as Blue Popcorn, Bloody Butcher, Oaxacan Green, and Cocke's Prolific sourced from Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Estate — and distill spirits on-site using natural limestone aquifer water and Kentucky-style equipment in a vertically integrated "Seed to Spirit" process. The portfolio spans core retail lines (Straight Bourbon, Straight Rye, Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Bottled in Bond Rye, and a 100% corn Vodka) plus a rotating Artisan Series of single-varietal heirloom-corn bourbons, a Cask Finished Series (Maple Syrup Casks, PX Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, Tawny Port, Madeira, Apple Brandy finishes), and ultra-limited offerings including a 7 Year Bourbon blending 7-, 8-, and 9-year-old barrels and the 1,776-bottle America 250 anniversary release. Quality positioning is supported by Double Gold medals at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for both Bottled in Bond Bourbon and Bottled-in-Bond Rye, a regional "Best Whiskey of the State" win for the Straight Rye in Illinois, and press features including Vinepair's state-by-state whiskey roundup.

Name

Whiskey Acres

Legal name

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.

Website

https://whiskeyacres.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. is a DeKalb, Illinois estate distillery that grows heirloom grains on-site and produces bourbon, rye, vodka, and limited-release craft whiskeys sold through regional retail, an on-site Visitors Center, and online shipping to 19 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming (111191)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Craft whiskey distillery
• Estate bourbon production
• Farm-to-bottle spirits
• Craft distillery tours
• Heirloom corn whiskey

Headquarters

HQ city

Dekalb

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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: Direct retail sales of bourbon, rye, vodka, and artisan series products at the Visitors Center and through online channels. Products sold in bottles at various price points based on age and expression.
2. Distillery Tours: Paid tours of the distillery including tastings. Tours are $12.50 per person and include a 45-60 minute guided tour, tasting of three products, and souvenir shot glass.
3. Facility Rental: Rental of event spaces including the Visitors Center (3600+ sq ft, $400 for first 2 hours), Historic Tasting Room ($200 for first 2 hours), and Conference Room ($150 for first 2 hours). Includes bartending service.
4. Retail Distribution: Wholesale distribution through retail partners including Binny's, Hy-Vee, Lundeen's, The Royal Wren, Malloy's, Schnuck's, Sav Way, and independent liquor stores across Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, and California.
5. Merchandise: Sale of logo merchandise including apparel, hats, and glassware through their online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. is an estate distillery that operates a complete Seed to Spirit production process, growing its own heirloom grain varieties on a fifth-generation family farm and distilling them on-site into bourbon, rye, vodka, and limited-edition expressions. Beyond spirits, the company operates a visitor center offering distillery tours, tastings, event programming, and facility rentals for private and corporate gatherings.

Product overview

Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. is an estate distillery producing farm-to-bottle whiskeys and spirits. The core product portfolio includes Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Straight Rye Whiskey, Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond Rye, and Vodka (all available at retail). The Artisan Series features limited-edition expressions made with heirloom corn varieties including Blue Popcorn Bourbon, Bloody Butcher Bourbon, and Oaxacan Green Corn Bourbon. The Cask Finished Series offers finished whiskeys including Maple Syrup Casks and Cigar Blend expressions. Limited releases include 7 Year Bourbon and America 250 Anniversary Bourbon. Additional revenue streams include distillery tours ($12.50/person), facility rental services (Visitors Center, Historic Tasting Room, Conference Room), merchandise (clothing, glassware), gift cards, and an online store with shipping to select states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Artisan Series: Rare, heirloom and specialty varieties of corn distilled into unique offerings showcasing flavor nuances of corn varieties.
• Cask Finished Series
• Visitors Center

Products and services

• Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Quantifiable outcome

• Double Gold winner at 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for both Bottled in Bond Bourbon and Bottled-in-Bond Rye
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, regular and minor.

• Seelbachs.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for online shipping to consumers in 19 states. Seelbachs.com handles compliance and logistics for direct-to-consumer online sales to states where Whiskey Acres cannot ship directly.
• Chuck's Wood Fired PizzaregularOthersRegular food truck partner at events. Provides wood-fired pizza at many weekend events and larger gatherings like artisan markets and cigar nights.
• Dark Horse CateringregularOthersCatering partner for events including whiskey dinners, special events, and artisan markets. Chef Terrell provides customized menus for various occasions.
• Kitchen Ten (Chef Susan)minorOthersPersonal chef service providing catered events, cooking classes, and pop-ups. Brings bold, unforgettable flavors to events at Whiskey Acres.
• Strike the Box Pipe & CigarregularOthersCigar partner for Cigar Night events. Provides premium cigar brands and accessories for cigar-focused evenings at Whiskey Acres.
• Stave & Thief SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhiskey Acres is an Establishment Member of the Stave & Thief Society, the world's only industry-recognized Bourbon certification program. Hosts Certified Associate Bourbon Steward classes taught by Executive Bourbon Steward Trish Hayden.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Laws Whiskey House: Colorado-based craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskey from locally sourced grains. Comparable grain-to-bottle craft distillery with farm-level provenance and multi-state distribution.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft bourbon distillery producing premium bourbon and rye with a focus on quality and craft authenticity. Comparable craft whiskey producer with structured distribution and limited releases.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and gin, including sourced-and-aged expressions. Comparable small craft distillery with award-winning products and selective retail distribution.
• Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. Louisville, KY craft distillery focused on American brandy and whiskey with strong visitor/tasting room programming. Comparable estate-style craft distillery with on-site experiences and limited distribution.
• FEW Spirits: Illinois craft distillery in Evanston producing bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka with a strong DTC and on-premise presence. Comparable as a craft spirits competitor in the same Illinois/chicagoland market with experiential retail.
• Koval Distillery: Midwest craft distillery based in Chicago, IL producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and liqueurs from organic grains. Directly comparable as a small-batch, grain-to-bottle craft distillery in the same Illinois market with on-site tastings and tours.
• New Holland Brewing / New Holland Distilling: Michigan-based craft brewery and distillery producing bourbon, rye, and other spirits. Comparable craft producer with farm-to-bottle positioning, tours, and multi-state distribution in the Midwest.
• Corsair Distillery: Tennessee-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits with experimental grain-focused expressions. Comparable craft distillery with experimental, grain-centric product line and visitor experience.

Broad incumbents

• Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey: Nationally distributed Tennessee whiskey brand with strong media positioning and broad retail footprint. Comparable as a craft-styled whiskey brand that scaled from small to national distribution, illustrating the ceiling and capital requirements of the path Whiskey Acres could pursue.
• Buffalo Trace Distillery (Sazerac): Large-scale Kentucky bourbon distillery producing flagship and allocated bourbons. Comparable as a benchmark for estate-style bourbon production and aged-inventory economics, but operates at vastly greater scale and brand reach than Whiskey Acres.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/whiskeyacres
• Facebookfacebook.com/whiskeyacres
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whiskey-acres-distilling-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Whiskey Acres