What Oaklore Distilling Co. does

Oaklore Distilling Co. is a privately held craft distillery founded in 2016 by Matt Simpkins, Tom Bogan, and Travis Masters, operating a distillery, tasting room, patio, and event venue at 11136 Monroe Rd., Matthews, NC (Charlotte metro). The company produces a portfolio of small-batch spirits anchored by a four-grain bourbon (wheat, rye, corn, barley) aged 5-7 years and a North Carolina straight rye whiskey aged 7+ years, supplemented by Original Vodka, Original Rum, Original Gin, and agave spirits from Jalisco, all marketed as gluten-free. Differentiated production methods include port wine, Old Fashioned cocktail, and Oloroso sherry cask finishing layered on 6+ year bourbon bases, alongside North Carolina Piedmont-climate aging intended to deepen wood interaction.

The business model is hybrid direct-to-consumer, on-premise, and wholesale. Revenue streams include on-site bottle and cocktail sales at the Matthews venue, DTC e-commerce via a Shopify storefront with national shipping (launched late March), retail distribution through 100+ North Carolina ABC stores, and on-premise placement at 100+ bars, restaurants, hotels, and the Charlotte Airport. A Founder Club membership program and a Story Series of distillery-exclusive limited editions (Old Fashioned Cask, Port Cask, Oloroso Sherry Cask) provide a recurring-revenue and collector dimension. Marketing is community-led, relying on the Angel Barrel Program (approximately $900K donated to local nonprofits), tasting-room events, Saturday live music, private event rentals, organic social (Instagram, Facebook), and earned media across Charlotte-area outlets.

Commercial operations began in 2024, and the company has accumulated third-party validation including 93 points at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (Four Grain Bourbon), 95 points at the New York International Spirits Competition (NC Straight Rye), Double Platinum ASCOT Awards in 2026, and consecutive Charlotte's Best Gold awards in 2024 and 2025. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, and no revenue or headcount is publicly disclosed.

Name

Oaklore Distilling Co.

Legal name

Oaklore Distilling Co.

Website

https://oakloredistilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oaklore Distilling Co. is a Matthews, NC-based craft distillery producing small-batch bourbon, rye, vodka, rum, gin, and agave spirits, selling direct-to-consumer at its tasting room, through national e-commerce, and via 100+ North Carolina retail and on-premise accounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Craft bourbon whiskey
• Small batch spirits
• Rye whiskey
• Craft distillery
• Cask finished bourbon

Headquarters

HQ city

Matthews

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. On-site spirits sales: Direct sales of bottled spirits to visitors at the distillery tasting room, patio, and events venue.
2. Online store sales: Direct-to-consumer e-commerce through Shopify store with national shipping capabilities.
3. Retail distribution: Distribution through ABC stores and retail locations throughout North Carolina and beyond.
4. Bar and restaurant on-premise: Sales to bars, restaurants, and country clubs serving Oaklore spirits by the glass or bottle.
5. Event hosting: Revenue from hosting private events including celebrations, business meetings, and gatherings at the distillery venue.
6. Ready-made cocktails and beverages: Sale of ready-made cocktails (Barrel-Rested Oak Fashioned, Lemon Drop), alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies, and seasonal drinks.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Oaklore Distilling Co. is a craft distillery producing small-batch bourbon, rye whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, and agave spirits, with a specialty line of cask-finished bourbons (Old Fashioned and Port cask finishes). The company operates a distillery, tasting room, patio, and event venue in Matthews, NC, and distributes its spirits through North Carolina ABC stores, on-premise accounts, and an online Shopify store.

Product overview

Oaklore Distilling Co. is a craft distillery offering a portfolio of spirits centered on bourbon and rye whiskeys, supplemented by vodka, rum, gin, and agave spirits. The core lineup includes the flagship Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey and NC Straight Rye Whiskey, while the Story Series provides limited-edition expressions finished in various casks (Old Fashioned, Port, Oloroso Sherry) available exclusively at the distillery. Non-whiskey offerings include Original Vodka, Rum, Gin, and Agave spirits, all described as gluten free and hand-crafted. The company also operates a tasting room serving ready-made cocktails, slushies, and Distiller's Flight tastings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Story Series: Unique expressions meticulously crafted in small batches or hand-selected single barrels. Available exclusively at the distillery, these bourbons showcase a range of styles from cask strength to proofed-down expressions, finished to perfection. Includes Old Fashioned Cask Finish Bourbon, Port Cask Finish Four Grain Bourbon, and Oloroso Sherry Cask Finished Four Grain Bourbon.

Products and services

• Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey Flagship four-grain bourbon made with wheat, rye, corn, and barley, aged 5-7 years. Bold, savory character with notes of toasted pecans, honey butter cake, toffee bar, vanilla crème brûlée, and a butterscotch finish. 92 proof / 46% ABV. Awarded 93 points at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• NC Straight Rye Whiskey Small batch North Carolina straight rye whiskey aged 7+ years. Light wood tones on the nose, agave notes transitioning to sweet rye cereal on the palate, with subtle sweet and medium pepper spice finish. 92 proof / 46% ABV. Awarded 95 points at the New York International Spirits Competition.
• Story Series: Old Fashioned Cask Finish Bourbon Four-grain bourbon (wheat, rye, corn, barley) aged 6+ years, then finished 12-18 months in barrels previously used to age Oaklore's Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer. Notes of orange bitters, salted pecans, snickerdoodle, vanilla, spiced honeysuckle, and cinnamon butter finish. 98 proof / 44% ABV. Available exclusively at the distillery.
• Story Series: Port Cask Finish Four Grain Bourbon Four-grain bourbon aged 6+ years in new charred white oak, then finished 12-18 months in newly dumped port wine barrels. Features candy grape, dark fruit on the nose, warm cherry whiskey on the palate, with sweet oak and raspberry sorbet finish. 92 proof / 46% ABV. Available exclusively at the distillery.
• Original Vodka Premium potato and grain vodka with a smooth, refreshing finish. 90 proof / 45% ABV. Gluten free and hand-crafted with creamy vanilla character.
• Original Rum Small-batch rum made from caramelized cane sugar and molasses. 80 proof / 40% ABV. Features Caribbean yeast character with cane sugar sweetness.
• Original Gin Small batch American-style gin with hints of mild, sugary citrus and a light, crisp finish. International style with floral citrus notes.
• Original Agave Premium agave spirits from Jalisco, Mexico, hand-bottled in North Carolina. Made from 100% Blue Agave with clean, vibrant character and velvety sweetness.
• Ready-Made Cocktails Pre-batched cocktails featuring authentic Oaklore spirits, including signature Barrel-Rested Oak Fashioned and Lemon Drop, along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies and seasonal drinks, served on-premise at the distillery.
• Distiller's Flight A curated tasting experience allowing guests to sample multiple Oaklore spirits and cocktails at the distillery tasting room.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 Points San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Four Grain Bourbon
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local NonprofitscoreOthersOaklore partners with local nonprofits annually through the Angel Barrel Program for community outreach. To date, Oaklore has given up to $900K to local charities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Catoctin Creek Distillery: Purcellville, Virginia craft distillery best known for rye whiskey and seasonal releases with on-site tasting room. Closely comparable craft producer focused on aged rye and bourbon with cask-finish expressions and DTC event programming.
• Broad Branch Distillery: Charlottesville, Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka with tasting room. Comparable Southeast craft producer with similar product mix, on-site experience, and limited-edition cask-finish programs.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and liqueurs with on-site tours and tasting room. Comparable craft producer emphasizing small-batch, single-origin, and unconventional grain recipes (e.g., millet, spelt) — methodology overlap with Oaklore's four-grain approach.
• Copper Barrel Distillery: Wilkesboro, NC craft distillery offering bourbon, whiskey, and specialty spirits with on-site tastings. Comparable NC craft distillery with similar product breadth and DTC tasting-room business model in the same regulatory environment.
• Southern Grace Distilleries: Mount Pleasant, NC craft distillery producing bourbon, whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum with an on-site tasting room and event space. Closest direct geographic peer to Oaklore within the North Carolina craft distillery landscape, sharing both production methodology and DTC tasting-room GTM.
• Doc Porter's Distillery: Charlotte, NC craft distillery founded by a former orthopedic surgeon, producing vodka, gin, whiskey, and rum with a tasting room and event venue. Direct Charlotte-market competitor serving overlapping on-premise accounts and a similar community-led brand positioning.
• Balcones Distilling: Waco, Texas craft distillery producing award-winning bourbon, rye, and single-malt whiskey with distinctive regional production methods (Texas blue corn, unique cask programs). Comparable craft producer leveraging terroir-driven aging and cask-finish differentiation.
• Top of the Hill Distillery: Chapel Hill, NC craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum with a downtown tasting room and restaurant. Comparable small-batch craft producer with on-site experience venue and similar NC distribution model.

Emerging players

• Castle & Key Distillery: Former Old Taylor Distillery site in Frankfort, KY, producing vodka, gin, and rye whiskey with tasting room and event programming. Comparable craft producer using historic distillery assets, premium cask-finish experiments, and DTC experience as core GTM.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Bardstown, Kentucky craft bourbon and rye producer with innovative fermentation science and growing national distribution. Adjacent craft bourbon peer with similar aging expertise, expanding wholesale footprint, and competing in the same premium rye/bourbon shopper consideration set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/oakloredistillingco
• Instagraminstagram.com/oakloredistillingco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oaklore-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 Oaklore Distilling Co.