black dirt distillery
Black Dirt Distillery is a privately held, founder-owned craft spirits producer in Pine Island, NY, making award-winning bourbon, rye, and apple brandy from Black Dirt region ingredients, sold through a Warwick Valley Winery tasting room, three-state retail distribution, and online partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- Headquarters—
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What black dirt distillery does
Black Dirt Distillery, operating as Black Dirt Distilling, LLC, is a privately held craft spirits producer formed in March 2012 and headquartered in Pine Island, New York. Co-founders and managing partners Jason Grizzanti and Jeremy Kidde, who had been making distilled spirits since 2002 at the affiliated Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery, completed construction of a 4,000-square-foot distillery in 2013 to become the first micro-distillery in New York State. The facility uses a 60-foot distillation column and copper stills to produce upwards of 60 barrels of whiskey or apple jack per week, with ingredients (corn, rye, apples) sourced from the Black Dirt region of upstate New York, a glacial soil area spanning over 5,500 acres with up to 90% organic matter.
The company's product portfolio centers on three core SKUs: Black Dirt Bourbon (80% Black Dirt region-grown corn, aged a minimum of four years in new charred American oak, winner of a 2018 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), Black Dirt Apple Jack (100% apple brandy distilled from local Jonagold and Honey Crisp apples and aged four to six years in new charred American oak), and Black Dirt Rye (100% New York rye, 90% rye / 10% malted rye mash bill at 100 proof). A Single Barrel program extends the portfolio with hand-selected bourbon and apple jack expressions finished in secondary casks (Port, Apple Jack). Legacy sub-brands American Fruits (brandies and liqueurs) and Warwick Gin continue to be co-marketed through the Warwick Valley Winery relationship.
Black Dirt Distillery monetizes primarily through one-time sales of bottled spirits via a DTC tasting room at Warwick Valley Winery (114 Little York Road, Warwick, NY), wholesale distribution across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and online retail partnerships with Astor Wines & Spirits and DrinkupNY. The company is founder-owned, has not disclosed any external funding or institutional ownership, and is led by a two-person co-founder management team. Customer-facing marketing is concentrated in earned media (NYT, Wine Enthusiast, Saveur, Cool Hunting, Edible Manhattan, Imbibe), an organic Facebook presence, and event participation.
black dirt distillery firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- black dirt distillery
- Legal name
- Black Dirt Distilling, LLC
- Website
- https://blackdirtdistillery.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Black Dirt Distillery is a privately held, founder-owned craft spirits producer in Pine Island, NY, making award-winning bourbon, rye, and apple brandy from Black Dirt region ingredients, sold through a Warwick Valley Winery tasting room, three-state retail distribution, and online partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
black dirt distillery industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)
Keywords
black dirt distillery business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Spirits Sales: Direct sales of finished bottled spirits including Black Dirt Bourbon, Black Dirt Rye, and Black Dirt Apple Jack through tasting room, retail distribution, and online channels.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
black dirt distillery product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Dirt Distillery produces small-batch craft bourbon, rye whiskey, and applejack using copper stills and a 60-foot distillation column at its Pine Island, NY facility. Ingredients (corn, rye, apples) are sourced directly from the Black Dirt region's exceptionally fertile glacial soil. The 4,000 square foot distillery operates with a capacity of up to 60 barrels per week, with tasting room sales at Warwick Valley Winery and retail distribution across NY, NJ, and CT.
Product overview
Black Dirt Distillery is a craft spirits producer offering a portfolio of whiskeys and apple brandies. The core offerings include Black Dirt Bourbon (award-winning, 80% corn mash), Black Dirt Apple Jack (100% apple brandy aged 4+ years), and Black Dirt Rye (100% NY rye at 100 proof). The Single Barrel program offers hand-selectedbourbon and apple jack expressions with various barrel finishing techniques. Legacy products from co-founders include American Fruits brandies and liqueurs and Warwick Gin, all originally produced at the affiliated Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Black Dirt Bourbon Award-winning bourbon distilled from 80% Black Dirt region-grown corn, aged minimum 4 years in new charred American oak barrels. Winner of Double Gold Medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Black Dirt Apple Jack 100% apple brandy distilled from New York-grown Jonagold apples and aged minimum 4 years in new charred American oak barrels, continuing the tradition of Apple Jack distilleries in the Black Dirt region that predated prohibition.
- Black Dirt Rye 100% New York rye whiskey with a mash bill of 90% rye and 10% malted rye, bottled at 100 proof with dark amber color and notes of caramel, rye spice, chocolate, and malt finish.
- Black Dirt Single Barrel Bourbon Hand-selected single barrel bourbons crafted from distinct grain ratios, aged in new charred oak with various finishing techniques including Port barrel and Apple Jack barrel finishing for enhanced flavor complexity.
- Black Dirt Single Barrel Apple Jack Single variety apple brandy aged in charred oak, hand-selected when unique flavor profile is optimal for savoring. Made from Hudson Valley Honey Crisp Apples.
- American Fruits Brandies and Liqueurs Award-winning brandies and liqueurs produced under the American Fruits brand, including cordials and cassis made from local berries using a traditional German copper still. Originated at Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery by the co-founders prior to Black Dirt Distillery's formal establishment.
- Warwick Gin Critically acclaimed gin flavored with fresh citrus rind for bold fruit and spice flavor, produced at Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery by the co-founders.
Quantifiable outcome
- Winner, Double Gold Medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use black dirt distillery
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
black dirt distillery technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
black dirt distillery partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Warwick Valley Winery and DistillerycoreParent company relationship - Black Dirt Distillery was formed to meet demand for spirits born at Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery. Co-founders Jason Grizzanti and Jeremy Kidde have been distilling together since 2002 at Warwick Valley, producing award-winning brandies and liqueurs under American Fruits brand and Warwick gin. The tasting room operates at Warwick Valley Winery's location.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
black dirt distillery competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- WhistlePig Whiskey: Vermont-based premium rye whiskey producer with national distribution. Comparable as a Northeast craft rye-focused distillery but operating at substantially larger scale with broader geographic reach.
Emerging players
- Corsair Distillery: Nashville-based craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and specialty spirits. Comparable as an award-winning craft producer with experimental cask finishes, though operating in a different geography.
- Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey: Denver-based small-batch whiskey distillery. Comparable as a craft single-barrel whiskey producer with a tasting room and direct-to-consumer emphasis, though regional to the Mountain West.
Direct peers
- Hudson Whiskey (Tuthilltown Spirits): Pioneering New York craft whiskey distillery producing bourbon and rye. Direct peer as one of the first legal farm distilleries in New York, with comparable scale and on-premise tasting experience.
- Kings County Distillery: Brooklyn-based craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and moonshine. Comparable as a small-batch New York craft distillery with a tasting room and direct-to-consumer focus, competing for the same regional craft spirits consumer.
- Hillrock Estate Distillery: Craft distillery in the Hudson Valley, NY producing bourbon, rye, and single malts. Directly comparable as another New York craft distillery emphasizing terroir-driven, locally-sourced whiskies with on-site tasting and dining.
- Tattersall Distilling: Minneapolis-based craft distillery producing whiskey, rum, gin, and liqueurs. Comparable as a small-batch craft producer with on-site tasting room and a broad experimental spirits portfolio.
- Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery: Affiliated parent/sister entity in Warwick, NY producing American Fruits brandies, liqueurs, and Warwick gin. Most comparable given shared founders, location, and overlapping product portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
black dirt distillery social profiles
Digital presenceblack dirt distillery financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
black dirt distillery leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
black dirt distillery funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
black dirt distillery M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about black dirt distillery
What does black dirt distillery do?
Black Dirt Distillery produces small-batch craft bourbon, rye whiskey, and applejack using copper stills and a 60-foot distillation column at its Pine Island, NY facility. Ingredients (corn, rye, apples) are sourced directly from the Black Dirt region's exceptionally fertile glacial soil. The 4,000 square foot distillery operates with a capacity of up to 60 barrels per week, with tasting room sales at Warwick Valley Winery and retail distribution across NY, NJ, and CT.
Is black dirt distillery a public or private company?
black dirt distillery is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was black dirt distillery founded?
black dirt distillery was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
How does black dirt distillery make money?
One revenue line is on record: spirits Sales.
Who are black dirt distillery's main competitors?
WhistlePig Whiskey is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Corsair Distillery and Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey. Direct peers are Hudson Whiskey (Tuthilltown Spirits), Kings County Distillery, Hillrock Estate Distillery, Tattersall Distilling and Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery.
Does black dirt distillery have an API?
No public API is recorded for black dirt distillery.
What industry is black dirt distillery in?
black dirt distillery's product category is Craft Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAGAF, Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 5180.