Basic Info

Pinhook Bourbon was founded in 2010 by three friends who found themselves with 20 barrels of whiskey and no prior experience in the industry. Drawing on their individual experiences from a variety of careers — from restaurateur to television producer — the partners have gone on to find success by combining their many talents. The founders include Sean Josephs, an experienced sommelier and award-winning whiskey restauranteur, who leads the tasting and blending at Castle & Key Distillery; Charles Fulford, a career creative director, who spearheads all of Pinhooks’ branding and design; and CEO Alice Peterson, who brings 20+ years of business experience and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Also integral to the DNA of the brand is its relationship to horse racing through their friend Jamie Hill, cofounder of bloodstock agency McMahon & Hill and a premier pinhooker. For those who are unfamiliar, “pinhooking” is the process of purchasing young thoroughbreds with the intention of selling them when they have matured and are ready to run. To further embrace this synergy, every Pinhook vintage honors a different thoroughbred from McMahon & Hill’s Bourbon Lane Stable, and the packaging is inspired by the bright colors and bold geometry of jockeys’ silks.