ROW 94 Whiskey

What ROW 94 Whiskey does

ROW 94 Whiskey is a privately held Kentucky Straight Bourbon brand founded by country music star Dierks Bentley in 2024 and organized as ROW 94, LLC in Franklin, Tennessee. The brand's name references the year Bentley moved to Nashville (1994). Production is outsourced under partnership to Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky — one of Kentucky's oldest post-Prohibition distilleries — with Lofted Custom Spirits also credited as a co-production partner. The portfolio comprises three expressions: the original 94-proof bourbon (47% ABV, $53.99) made from a mash bill of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted and row barley; Full Proof at 120-proof ($59.99), aged minimum four years; and Broken Branches, a limited-edition 100-proof release ($99) finished with a proprietary Branch Aging process using fire-toasted oak staves seasoned up to 24 months, capped at under 1,500 bottles.

The business model is DTC-led via row94whiskey.com (with direct shipping to most U.S. states except Tennessee), supplemented by retail and liquor store distribution across twelve states, travel retail at Nashville International Airport (HMSHost's The Pharmacy Burger Parlor) and Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, branded merchandise (apparel, hats, glassware priced $10–$47), and experiential marketing through life-sized holographic Dierks Bentley installations and the OFF THE MAP TOUR platform. The brand also operates the Row Club ambassador program and a concert sweepstakes running November 2025 through November 2026.

Primary customer segments are country music fans and Dierks Bentley enthusiasts, bourbon enthusiasts seeking accessible Kentucky straight bourbon, and the brand ambassador community. The brand has accumulated significant industry recognition, including 94 points from Wine Enthusiast, Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Platinum at LA Spirits Awards, and Gold at SIP Awards 2026. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and no external funding rounds have been reported.

Name

ROW 94 Whiskey

Legal name

ROW 94, LLC

Website

https://row94whiskey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ROW 94 Whiskey is a privately held Kentucky Straight Bourbon brand founded by country music star Dierks Bentley in 2024, producing three bourbons (Original, Full Proof, Broken Branches) at Green River Distilling Co. and selling primarily direct-to-consumer plus experiential retail aimed at country music fans and bourbon enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Bourbon Whiskey

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits Retail & Whiskey Shops (Off-Premise) (CRANAAAD), Mixed Alcohol Specialty Retail (Beer/Wine/Spirits Combined) (CRANABAH), Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Bourbon whiskey
• Kentucky straight bourbon
• Celebrity spirits brand
• Craft bourbon distillery
• Branded whiskey merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bourbon Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of bourbon bottles including original 94-proof ($53.99), Full Proof ($59.99), and limited Broken Branches ($99). Sold via row94whiskey.com with shipping to most U.S. states (excluding Tennessee for direct shipping).
2. Branded Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including vintage tees, hoodies, trucker hats, mesh back caps, rocks glasses, and shot glasses through the row94whiskey.com merch section.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ROW 94 Whiskey is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey brand that crafts, ages, and sells bourbon expressions distilled at Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky. The portfolio includes the original 94-proof bourbon, Full Proof at 120-proof, and the limited-edition Broken Branches at 100-proof, alongside branded apparel and glassware merchandise sold direct-to-consumer and through retail distribution.

Product overview

ROW 94 Whiskey is a spirits brand founded by country music star Dierks Bentley, offering a portfolio of Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskeys. The core offering is the original ROW 94 Bourbon (94 proof), complemented by higher-proof expressions including Full Proof (120 proof) and the limited-edition Broken Branches (100 proof). The brand also sells merchandise including apparel and glassware, and operates promotional programs including a concert sweepstakes and an ambassador program called ROW Club.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ROW 94 Original: The original Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey expression at 94-proof (47% ABV), made with 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted and row barley.
• ROW 94 Full Proof
• ROW 94 Broken Branches

Products and services

• ROW 94 Bourbon (Original) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at 94 proof (47% ABV), crafted with a three-ingredient mash bill of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted and row barley; aged in new White Oak barrels with level-four char. Tasting notes include vanilla, toffee, green apple, honey, and tobacco.
• ROW 94 Full Proof Full-throttle, uncut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey at 120 proof (60% ABV), barreled at 120 proof and aged a minimum of four years using the same signature mash bill as the original. Tasting notes include vanilla, fresh tobacco, leather, clove, honey, raisin, black pepper, and smoky oak.
• ROW 94 Broken Branches (Limited Edition) Limited-edition 100-proof (50% ABV) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged five years and finished using a proprietary Branch Aging process with fire-toasted oak staves seasoned up to 24 months. Limited to 1,500 bottles. Tasting notes include vanilla, caramel, stone fruit, brown sugar, butterscotch, layered leather, nutty depth, cinnamon, and smoke.
• ROW 94 Branded Merchandise Branded lifestyle merchandise including vintage tees ($25), hoodies ($47), trucker hats ($30), embroidered super-soft mesh back caps ($30), engraved shot glasses ($10), and etched rocks glasses ($15) featuring the ROW 94 thunderbird logo.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Proto Inc.coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Proto Inc. provided the holographic communication platform technology for the life-sized Dierks Bentley hologram installations at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (September 2025) and Nashville International Airport (June 2026). Proto's hologram technology enables a life-sized, interactive greeting experience for travelers promoting ROW 94 products and sampling opportunities.
• PriceWebercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025PriceWeber, a Kentucky advertising agency based in Louisville (10701 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40243), created the hologram activation campaign for ROW 94. The agency also manages the ROW 94 Concert Sweepstakes official rules and prize fulfillment, and is the contact point for the sweepstakes winners list.
• HMSHostcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2025HMSHost, a travel restaurateur, operates The Pharmacy Burger Parlor within Nashville International Airport. ROW 94 is featured in a signature cocktail called Dierks' Lemonade at this location, and travelers are directed by the hologram installation to sampling opportunities and drink specials at the restaurant. HMSHost previously operated the Distillery District Marketplace at Louisville airport where ROW 94 products were also available.
• Green River Distilling Co.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky serves as the production partner for all ROW 94 bourbon expressions. The distillery, one of Kentucky's oldest post-prohibition facilities, distills and ages all products including the original 94-proof, Full Proof, and Broken Branches expressions. The partnership was formed after Dierks Bentley toured multiple distilleries seeking the right production partner. Mark Erwin, CEO of Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River, expressed excitement about collaborating on the brand.
• Lofted Custom SpiritsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerROW 94 was produced in partnership with Lofted Custom Spirits at Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky, as noted in expansion announcements. Lofted Custom Spirits appears to serve as a co-production partner facilitating the brand's relationship with Green River Distilling Co.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Bardstown Bourbon Company: Kentucky contract distiller and brand house that launched ROW 94 at its Louisville tasting room and whose CEO Mark Erwin is publicly associated with the brand launch. Functions as an enabler and ecosystem comparable rather than a direct SKU competitor.
• Green River Distilling Co. ROW 94's contract distillation partner in Owensboro, Kentucky. Not a direct competitor — it is the production partner — but materially comparable on category (Kentucky straight bourbon) and distillery heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Wild Turkey: Established Kentucky straight bourbon producer owned by Campari Group. Competes in the same accessible-premium bourbon price band as ROW 94 Original and offers a direct category benchmark for volume, distribution depth, and shelf competition.
• Maker's Mark: Iconic Kentucky straight bourbon owned by Beam Suntory. Direct category incumbent competing for the same everyday-sipping bourbon occasion and similar accessible-premium price tier as ROW 94's flagship expression.
• Bulleit Bourbon: High-rye Kentucky straight bourbon distributed by Diageo. Competitor in the same accessible-premium bourbon segment with strong bartender and on-premise presence, making it a direct comparable on distribution and cocktail-program dynamics.
• Four Roses: Kentucky straight bourbon with a multi-recipe, single-distillery model owned by Kirin. Overlaps with ROW 94 on accessible premium bourbon positioning and craft-credibility storytelling.

Direct peers

• Heaven's Door: Bob Dylan's premium whiskey portfolio, including a Kentucky straight bourbon. Closest comparable celebrity-founded craft whiskey brand with similar pricing, distributor-led growth strategy, and storytelling-driven positioning.
• Proper No. Twelve: Conor McGregor's Irish whiskey, a parallel celebrity-founded spirits brand built on founder audience reach, accessible pricing and community/lifestyle marketing. Comparable celebrity-led, founder-narrative brand model.
• Duke's Whiskey: Celebrity-associated premium whiskey brand founded by Bob Bakish, focused on craft credentials and accessible pricing. Comparable premium celebrity whiskey play in the same accessible-premium price band.
• Yellowstone Bourbon: Kentucky straight bourbon line tied to Kevin Costner and the Yellowstone franchise, marketed through celebrity/film association and accessible pricing. Overlaps directly with ROW 94's celebrity-bourbon, accessible-premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ROW94whiskey
• Xx.com/Row94Whiskey
• Facebookfacebook.com/ROW94whiskey

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ROW 94 Whiskey