“The Duke” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Enters National Sales Partnership with Blackheath Beverage Group

Blackheath Beverage Group The Duke BourbonNEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Blackheath Beverage Group, LLC announces this week that they have partnered with Duke Spirits and Monument Valley Distillers to handle the sales of The Duke Kentucky Straight Bourbon in the United States of America.

Named for American icon John Wayne – the larger-than-life film star affectionately known as “The Duke” – The Duke Kentucky Straight Bourbon has been specially formulated based on John Wayne’s personal tastes learned when his son, Ethan Wayne, discovered a private collection of his father’s liquor, letters and tasting notes dating back to the early 1960s.

“Our goal with The Duke was to make a Bourbon that embodies the spirit, strength and richness my father personified, while realizing his unfulfilled dream of distilling fine spirits,” said Ethan Wayne, a partner in Monument Valley Distillers.

“When Ethan told us the story and we saw the original bottles from his Dad’s collection, we knew that we had to work to bring this vision to life and create a Bourbon that John Wayne would be proud to have in his whiskey glass,” said Monument Valley Distillers partner Jayson Woodbridge.

“Due to our extensive existing relationships and reputation in the industry,” said Chris Radomski, partner in Monument Valley Distillers, “we have been blessed with incredible access to the trade at a top level. What Blackheath brings to the table is an incredibly talented, street-level sales force that will help us tell this great story and manage our business on the wholesale level while driving sell-through in a meaningful way at the retail and consumer levels.”

Jay Harkins, CEO of Blackheath Beverage Group is “extremely excited by the opportunity that The Duke Bourbon represents. The whole brown spirits category is incredibly hot in the U.S. Market, and bourbon is at the forefront. The Duke has such a great, compelling story, but more importantly, it is such a high-quality product that I feel confident we can make a huge impact.”

Monument Valley Distillers is an artisan distiller crafting small batches of superior bourbon, whiskey and brandy. Monument Valley Distillers was born in Calistoga, California, many years ago, over an epic dinner featuring wine, shared memories and laughter between founders Ethan Wayne, son of John Wayne, and renowned vintners of Hundred Acre Wines, Jayson Woodbridge and Chris Radomski. Creator of DUKE Spirits, Monument Valley Distillers is committed to preserving the legacy of John Wayne by creating authentic products bearing his name. For more information visit www.dukespirits.com. Please enjoy all Monument Valley Distillers products responsibly.

Blackheath Beverage Group, LLC is the industry’s leading sales and marketing platform, efficiently and effectively providing independent brands with the bandwidth and leverage that is typically only found within large supplier networks. Blackheath successfully bridges the gaps in the “Three-Tier” liquor system by supplying superior resources while allowing brand owners to maintain a vast majority of their profits and control. Founded in 2012, Blackheath Beverage Group is rapidly redefining how independent brands go to market in the US. For more information, please visit www.bhbeverage.com.