Chris Yarbrough, Chief Marketing Officer of Brough Brothers

Brough Brothers belongs to its parent company, which is Victory Global, founded by Victor Yarbrough. Victory Global started out as an import and export distribution company between the US and the UK, focusing on hard-to-find products such as fine ciders, fine spirits, fine whiskies, and moonshine. So, after learning the business of distribution, Victor thought it'd be a great time for us to vertically integrate and manufacture our own product and place our product in those distribution channels. In order to manufacture our own product or brand, we had to build a distillery. So the question became where to open the distillery. Understanding the international appeal and booming growth of Bourbon and being from Kentucky, it became obvious that we needed to build it in our hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.

From experience and years of building relationships in the spirits industry, we knew there were no current African American manufacturers in Kentucky; and with additional research, we found there had never been an African American-owned distillery in Kentucky. So our journey began to build Kentucky’s first Black-owned distillery with the goal to leave a generational legacy. We were granted our Federal DSP in 2018 and took a few years to build the distillery, and finally started distilling in 2020. It will take a few years for the bourbon we distill and barrel to come to market. While we can’t wait for people to taste the bourbon that Bryson Yarbrough, Kentucky’s first African American Master Distiller, has distilled, In the meantime, we’ve sourced a phenomenal bourbon that is in stores and at ReserveBar now.

Starting a business with your siblings can be challenging. You each bring to the table different personalities, experiences and own set of ideas. Each brother has earned their respect in the respective lanes, so as a partner in this process, we can’t just really brush off anyone's ideas, suggestions, or solutions.

But what I can say is Victor Yarbrough, the oldest, there's such an amount of great respect with his decision-making. He's been making decisions of a high magnitude for a long time. So the respect that Bryson and I have for his decision-making is bar none. And the trust that you have between your brothers is, I think that's really the key that pushes us.

We all know that we're here for each other; we're not going to let each other down. We're here to encourage each other; we're here to give each other confidence. And we're here to be that shoulder to lean on.

I would definitely tell them to start with Brough Brothers. That's my first suggestion. I believe that the makeup of our bourbon is perfect for someone who's being introduced to bourbon. It’s definitely a wonderful introduction into bourbon at a great price point.

I always tell people that everyone's taste buds are different. Everyone picks up on different dynamics and nuances in flavor. With Brough Brothers, you will get that vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. People can also pick up on the apple, and the pear notes suddenly. I'm actually surprised by this, but it’s so exciting when people do pick up on the pear and apple notes. If you find the time to visit us, you’ll discover that we're doing the tastings in our tour process. A lot of people can taste the notes, and I can only taste maybe a few — I can typically pick up on the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg.

Brough Brothers makes a tremendous cocktail that we call “Bourbonade.” This simple way to enjoy our bourbon is just two ounces of lemonade and one ounce of Brough Brothers Bourbon. I also like to enjoy it with mango and pineapple juice. Of course, you can adjust your ratios to fit your cocktail preference. But pineapple, mango and lemonade are my go-to's for Brough Brothers. We just wanted to use a couple of ingredients to be able to just make it easier for you to be able to make a cocktail while you're at a barbecue, at a family reunion, or anything of the sort. We want this bourbon to be enjoyed around family and loved ones.

Being from Louisville, Kentucky, I think that our pursuits are going to be welcomed. And to a certain extent, we have already seen the effects of us being an African American distillery. The city and state have been very supportive; even still, there are challenges to overcome.

We’re busy and staying focused on becoming a household name. We want to be your Jack Daniel’s, your Buffalo Trace, or your Heaven Hill. So, that's our goal. I don't know if we will be alive to see it or not. But this is a plan that has been written out for 200 years by Victor Yarbrough.

That's our goal — to be a household name. A world-renowned international brand, many would be surprised to discover that the product was first sold in the UK. The States were actually one of the countries to follow that initial release.