088 | Andrew Borenzweig | Bringing Luxury to The American Whiskey Category with The Beverly High Rye

Summary

In this episode, host Chris Maffeo talks to Andrew Borenzweig, founder of Beverly High Rye, who shares his journey of creating a modern, luxury-focused American whiskey that breaks away from traditional frontier or rustic imagery. Inspired by the elegance of Beverly Hills, Andrew crafted a whiskey that blends rye’s bold spice with bourbon’s smoothness, presented in sleek, decanter-style bottles. He initially concentrated on securing placements in prestigious California venues—such as Nobu, Mastro’s, Cipriani, and the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons—to build brand credibility and visibility. This strategic on-trade focus laid a strong foundation before carefully expanding into off-trade channels like select Pavilions stores. Throughout the episode, Andrew emphasizes the importance of brand authenticity, founder-led advocacy, and a California-centric rollout as key drivers of Beverly High Rye’s success. Additionally, he touches on leveraging top on-trade outlet groups to facilitate potential international expansion, referencing Nobu Tokyo’s interest in the brand. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview00:29 Guest Introduction: Andrew Bornenzweig00:58 The Inspiration Behind Beverly High Rye02:30 Marketing and Brand Positioning06:44 Expanding to New Markets11:05 Product Portfolio and Collaborations17:21 On-Trade vs. Off-Trade Strategies24:50 Final Thoughts and Advice for Brand Owners