Horse Neck

What Horse Neck does

Horse Neck is a Texas-headquartered, founder-owned bourbon brand that produces and sells Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and ready-to-drink bourbon cocktails to US consumers. The company was founded in 2020 by four co-founders (Kurt Baxter, Darren Ford, Jim Semans, Brian Locke) following a Bourbon Trail trip during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bourbon is sourced, distilled, and aged at Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Wild Turkey Distillery under single master distiller supervision, after which Horse Neck applies a proprietary high-pressure wood finishing technology — filtering aged bourbon through select wood filters — to generate flavor profiles described as distinct from traditional barrel aging.

The commercial portfolio comprises three core bourbon expressions (Double Barrel at 101 proof, Sherry Cask Finish at 95 proof, and the limited 599-bottle Founders 9-Year Barrel Select at 90 proof), four ready-to-drink canned cocktails (Bourbon Ginger Ale, Bourbon Mule Spice, Bourbon Cherry Rye, Bourbon La Paloma) sold in 4-packs, and branded merchandise including rocks glasses, t-shirts, trucker caps, and bourbon-infused cigars. Premium bourbon bottles retail from $54 to $97 per 750ml; RTD 4-packs are priced at $16.99. The 2025 Double Barrel Bourbon 50ml 6-Pack earned a Gold Medal from the American Distillery Institute.

Distribution combines a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront shipping to 46 US states (with restrictions in Michigan, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Utah), a regional retail footprint of 8 named Texas liquor stores, and an emerging Oklahoma presence. The company supplements sales with experiential marketing via Bourbon Exchange events and a loyalty community called the Horse Neck Insiders Club. Horse Neck operates with 1–10 employees (effectively the four co-founders), is privately held, and completed a $265,000 seed funding round in January 2026 according to Castle Placement.

Name

Horse Neck

Legal name

Horse Neck

Website

https://horseneck.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Horse Neck is a Texas-headquartered bourbon brand that sources Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, applies proprietary wood finishing technology, and sells premium bourbon expressions, ready-to-drink cocktails, and branded merchandise to US consumers via DTC e-commerce and select Texas and Oklahoma retail accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Carrollton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bourbon Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of Kentucky bourbon products including Double Barrel, Sherry Cask Finish, and Founders 9-Year expressions sold through e-commerce and retail channels.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, trucker caps, rocks glasses, and sherry cigars through their e-commerce platform.
3. RTD Cocktail Sales: Ready-to-drink bourbon cocktails including Bourbon Ginger Ale, Bourbon Mule Spice, Bourbon Cherry Rye, and Bourbon La Paloma sold in 4-packs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Horse Neck sources bourbon from Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Wild Turkey Distillery in Kentucky, applies its proprietary high-pressure wood finishing technology to aged bourbon to develop distinctive flavor profiles, and bottles and sells premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey expressions (Double Barrel, Sherry Cask Finish, and limited Founders 9-Year Barrel Select) direct-to-consumer and through select retailers. The company also sells ready-to-drink bourbon cocktails and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Horse Neck is a Texas-owned bourbon brand offering a portfolio of Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskeys and ready-to-drink (RTD) bourbon cocktails. The core bourbon lineup includes Double Barrel (101 Proof) and Sherry Cask Finish (95 Proof) expressions, plus the limited-edition Founders 9-Year Barrel Select Bourbon (90 Proof, 599 bottles). The RTD line features pre-mixed cocktails in four flavors: Bourbon Ginger Ale, Bourbon Mule Spice, Bourbon Cherry Rye, and Bourbon La Paloma. The company also sells branded merchandise including rocks glasses and bourbon-infused cigars. All bourbons are distilled and aged in Kentucky using proprietary wood finishing technology, while the company is headquartered and operated from Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Horse Neck Double Barrel Bourbon 101 Proof (750ml) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged in virgin oak barrels with proprietary wood finishing technology, featuring notes of vanilla, maple, oak, and rich rye spice; sold to bourbon enthusiasts direct-to-consumer and through select retailers.
• Horse Neck Double Barrel Bourbon 50ml 6-Pack Six-pack of miniature Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottles, Double Barrel Cask Finished at 101 Proof, for sampling and gifting.
• Horse Neck Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon (750ml) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in sherry oak casks at 95 Proof, with tasting notes of almonds, walnuts, floral tones, maple, and sherry; targeted at bourbon enthusiasts seeking layered flavor.
• Horse Neck Sherry Cask Finish Bourbon 50ml 6-Pack Six-pack of miniature Sherry Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottles at 95 Proof, for sampling and gifting.
• Horse Neck Founders 9-Year Barrel Select Bourbon (750ml) Limited edition 2025 release of 9-year aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with a high-rye mash bill (65% corn / 28% rye / 7% barley), 90 Proof (45% ABV); only 599 bottles produced for collector and enthusiast purchase.
• Horse Neck Core Series Kentucky Bourbon Bundle Bundle featuring Double Barrel and Sherry Cask Finish 750ml bourbon bottles, offered at a 15% discount versus individual bottle purchases.
• Horse Neck Bourbon Ginger Ale RTD Ready-to-drink bourbon cocktail with ginger ale, extra bitters, and lime, featuring hints of aged Kentucky Bourbon; for convenient consumption at home or social occasions.
• Horse Neck Bourbon Mule Spice RTD Bourbon-ginger cocktail with a touch of heat, 9.0% ABV, 190 calories, 3 net carbs, no sugar added, sold in 12 oz cans.
• Horse Neck Bourbon Cherry Rye RTD Ready-to-drink bourbon cocktail blending ginger, tart dark cherry, bitters, and high rye Kentucky Bourbon; 195 calories per serving.
• Horse Neck Bourbon La Paloma RTD Ready-to-drink blend of aged Kentucky Bourbon and sweet Ruby Red Grapefruit juice; 195 calories per serving.
• Horse Neck Bourbon Variety Pack RTD Four-pack assortment of Horse Neck RTD bourbon cocktails including Bourbon Ginger Ale, Bourbon Mule Spice, Bourbon Cherry Rye, and Bourbon La Paloma; priced at $16.99 per 4-pack.
• Horse Neck Rocks Glass Branded 10.5 oz rocks glass for whiskey and cocktails, made from quality glass with classic styling; hand-wash only; sold for $12.90 per glass.
• Horse Neck Sherry Bourbon Cigar Nicaraguan tobacco cigars infused with Horse Neck Sherry Cask-Finished Kentucky Bourbon, available in Robusto and Torpedo styles; sold at $26 per 2-cigar order.
• Horse Neck Bada Bourbon T-Shirt Branded premium fitted short sleeve crew t-shirt priced at $29.90, sold through the Horse Neck e-commerce merchandise collection.
• Horse Neck Trucker Cap Branded adjustable snapback trucker cap made from 60% cotton and 40% polyester, priced at $25.90, sold through the Horse Neck e-commerce merchandise collection.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Medal award at American Distillery Institute (2025) for Double Barrel Bourbon

Named customers8 records

Segments3 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

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Firestone & Robertson Distilling Company: Texas-based craft distillery producing bourbon and whiskey. Directly comparable as another Texas craft bourbon brand pursuing D2C and regional retail distribution with limited editions.
• Smooth Ambler Contradiction: West Virginia craft distillery known for finishing sourced bourbon in different casks. Highly analogous to Horse Neck's approach of sourcing base bourbon and applying proprietary finishing to create differentiated expressions.
• Bardstown Bourbon Company: Kentucky craft bourbon company combining sourced distillates with custom finishing programs. Comparable in their reliance on finishing technology to differentiate sourced bourbon and in their premium small-batch positioning.
• Old Elk Distillery: Colorado-based craft whiskey brand with sourced bourbon, premium pricing, and limited releases. Comparable craft bourbon strategy targeting enthusiasts through curated D2C and selective retail.
• New Riff Distilling: Kentucky craft bourbon distillery selling bourbon and rye through D2C and selective retail. Comparable craft bourbon model with similar premium pricing and direct-to-consumer emphasis.
• Garrison Brothers Distillery: Texas-based craft bourbon distillery producing small-batch bourbon with proprietary finishing programs. Direct competitor sharing Horse Neck's Texas roots, premium positioning, and craft bourbon narrative.
• Treaty Oak Distilling: Texas-based craft distillery producing bourbon, gin, and other spirits with wood-finishing programs. Comparable in scale, Texas-centric footprint, and craft bourbon-plus-RTD product strategy to Horse Neck.
• Cutwater Spirits: San Diego-based spirits brand combining distilled spirits with a major RTD cocktail lineup. Closest analog to Horse Neck's bourbon-plus-RTD portfolio strategy at materially larger scale.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky craft bourbon distillery known for cask-finishing programs and small-batch releases. Comparable to Horse Neck in finishing-technology focus, limited-edition strategy, and craft bourbon positioning.

Emerging players

• Still Austin Whiskey Co. Texas-based grain-to-glass whiskey distillery. Comparable as another Texas craft whiskey brand building D2C and retail presence, though operating its own distillery versus Horse Neck's sourced model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HorseNeckBourbon
• Instagraminstagram.com/horseneckbourbon
• Xx.com/HorseNeckNFT

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 Horse Neck