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 Overview
00:29 Guest Introduction: Andrew Bornenzweig
00:58 The Inspiration Behind Beverly High Rye
02:30 Marketing and Brand Positioning
06:44 Expanding to New Markets
11:05 Product Portfolio and Collaborations
17:21 On-Trade vs. Off-Trade Strategies
24:50 Final Thoughts and Advice for Brand Owners
MAFFEO DRINKS is a leading drinks business podcast, listened to in 120 countries with 130+ episodes. How the industry actually works, from the bar to the boardroom.
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