A Ginger Spiced Whiskey from Two Creative Entrepreneurs

What I particularly enjoy about the craft spirit movement is that it attracts people with vision and who are willing to think outside the box. This is the story of two childhood friends who had an idea and the tenacity to make it happen, in no less a difficult and complicated endeavor than the spirits business.

JD Recobs and Chris Buglisi, founders and owners of Misunderstood whiskey, have been friends since childhood, age seven to be exact. They grew up a block apart in Montclair, NJ and often worked together in various “enterprises” ranging from lemonade stands to DJ events to house painting.

Their college years were characterized by the usual and expected choices until graduating. The end of college and entering the workplace also brought a graduation from Captain and Coke to bourbon. Unfortunately, their ardor for whiskey was not shared by their friends who hated whiskey. And, yet their friends were drinking flavored whiskey and liking it. A eureka moment followed and the idea of a new and different flavored whiskey came to the surface.

 

As they put it on their website:

“We started this business with absolutely no experience besides drinking the stuff. We just had a vision. This made us work harder to develop a unique, high quality whiskey that was the perfect balance between complexity and drinkability. We spent many sleepless nights running home from our corporate jobs to blend, infuse, and spit out lots of homemade infusions. In 2017, after four years of development and feedback, we finally bottled Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey. The next question was, would anyone buy it?”

The Journey

Satisfied with the product they had developed in their kitchens, the path to launch involved the usual obstacles — finding a manufacturer, raising money, getting distribution, and much more. Fortunately, they found a manufacturer in Bardstown, KY and began production of what they describe as the whiskey for everyone — “an introductory whiskey for the novice yet complex enough for the connoisseur.”

So, after bottling their first run, they drove overnight back to New Jersey with cases in their car and launched at The Jersey City Whiskey Fest (the inaugural event in 2017) and 1,500 thirsty attendees. On the way they dropped off cases to an online retailer. They quickly depleted their first production run.

Here’s how they describe the reaction to Misunderstood Whiskey:

“1,500 people were in attendance to taste products showcased by nearly 100 established brands…and well, us. Much to our surprise, we were overwhelmed by the people’s reactions as Misunderstood became a crowd favorite that night. No one actually believed it was our first day in business. We immediately knew we had something people wanted …”

What followed next was a back office and distribution relationship with Park Street Imports and adding Florida and Upstate NY to their market repertoire. And, if you can imagine, all initially sold by the guys and delivered by them.

As many startup booze business entrepreneurs will tell you, launching a brand is not for the faint of heart or the lazy.

Enter 375 Park Avenue Spirits

Sean O’Rourke was the head of the craft spirit division at Fedway Associates, an important and powerful distributor in New Jersey. Sean is one of those executives with a strong entrepreneurial orientation and a keen eye for high potential brands. Somehow, he knows intuitively which craft or startup will make it. So, when he heard glowing reports about Misunderstood from the trade, he reached out to JD and Chris and added them to his portfolio. It quickly became the number one craft brand at Fedway.

The scene shifts. Sean left Fedway and joined the Sazerac Company, which in addition to the namesake brand company, also has the Bond & Royal and 375 Park Avenue Spirits divisions. Sean is the GM of Bond & Royal. As luck would have it, Sean ran into the guys at the Louisville Airport and what followed was a press release with this headline:

MISUNDERSTOOD WHISKEY BECOMES FIRST DOMESTIC BRAND TO JOIN SAZERAC’S GROWING 375 PARK AVENUE SPIRITS PORTFOLIO

They have entered into a strategic alliance with plans for regional and national rollout over time. According to Sean, “JD and Chris set out to make a whiskey for everyone and it has proven to resonate with novice drinkers and cocktail enthusiasts alike. In an age of fleeting brand loyalty and increased consumer curiosity, Misunderstood is one of the few brands I’ve seen consumers return to time and time again as a staple in their pantry and cocktail repertoire.”

Jason Schladenhauffen, president and CEO of 375 Park Avenue Spirits, added, “The success that Chris and JD have been able to achieve…is a testament to the strength of the brand and the stewardship they’ve provided,”

I’ve always said that for a new brand to succeed, it needs to be relevant and unique. But let’s also add the drive, enthusiasm and hard work of the founder.

About the product

Misunderstood is an American Whiskey blended with two types of all-natural ginger. In fact, the ginger is visible (well ground up) in the bottle and collects at the bottom if it’s left to sit for a while. The product is distilled at 80 proof from 100% Midwest grains in Bardstown KY, and aged in American Oak barrels. The SRP is roughly $30 for a 750ML.

I’m not much of a taste expert but their description resonated with me as I drank the product. The aroma (nose) provides ginger (of course), but also vanilla, and a bit of citrus. I loved the taste — ginger bread, toasted oak, caramel, vanilla. The finish is a very enjoyable butterscotch and baking spices.

I tried it many different ways, but on the rocks with a twist of lemon peel was my favorite. I asked about a signature drink and was told that the “Stood and Soda” (a High Ball) was becoming popular. It is not a shooter product, in my view, but a very pleasant sip and savor experience. As you can imagine the Misunderstood Mule is outrageous.

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The obvious question is, what’s ahead for JD and Chris. With 375 Park Avenue Spirits providing the wind to the brand’s back and with their work ethic the formula for success is there. Remember, a winning new brand needs relevance, uniqueness and hard work by the founders.

Interestingly, the subtitle on the label is “Legend One.”  So, I’m guessing that Misunderstood Ginger Spiced Whiskey is just the beginning.