News Notes: A Bourbon Heist In Philly, Garrison Brothers Sales Rise & More

$500,000 of Bourbon Stolen in Daring Philly Heist

On Friday afternoon, a group of thieves entered a warehouse in Philadelphia and made off with over 10,000 bottles—valued at around $500,000—of Noble Oak bourbon. According to the whiskey’s owner Apogee 21 Holdings, the suspects entered the warehouse with a truck and misled the warehouse workers into thinking they were supposed to leave with the cases as part of a legitimate shipment. Apogee 21 COO Rob Koch says that the workers weren’t following their regular security protocols. "We are treating this as a serious criminal matter and are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities," said a company spokesperson in a prepared statement. "The theft involved a significant quantity of premium bourbon from our newly acquired brand, Noble Oak, and appears to have been executed with knowledge of logistics operations and product movement schedules." Noble Oak is a relatively new acquisition for Apogee 21, having only been brought into the fold in mid-April.

Garrison Brothers Sees Sales Surge Locally and Nationally

Texas whiskey pioneer Garrison Brothers has posted some very impressive sales stats for the first quarter of the year, with double-digit growth both nationally and in its home market over the same period last year. Its sales in Texas grew 37% in volume and 47% in value. Nationally, its sales are up 21% in volume and 32% in value. These figures come just nine months after Garrison Brothers inked a distribution deal with Southern Glazer’s Beverage Co., which works alongside the distillery’s own sales and marketing teams. According to Drew Pennington, vice president of sales at Garrison Brothers, most of these sales came from the brand’s core expressions.

Luca Mariano Saved From Bankruptcy By $16.7 Million Buyout

Danville, Kentucky-based Luca Mariano Distillery filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last July after facing more than $34.5 million in debts. Nearly a year later, it looks like the beleaguered distillery will be pulled out of the fire thanks to a $16.7 million acquisition by Apogee 21 Holdings, the wine and spirits company helmed by industry veteran Mark Newman, which covers the distillery and its aging inventory of 6,000 barrels. The company aims to close the deal by July 7th; if it goes through, the company will assume $14.5 million of the debt. According to news outlet INC., Newman confirmed plans to hire 15–18 full-time employees, install a new copper pot still, and construct a new visitor center on the property. Apogee 21’s portfolio also includes Noble Oak whiskey, Monkey in Paradise vodka, Ándale tequila, John Lee Hooker whiskey, and others.

Connor Robert Henderson, 1996–2026

Whiskey maker Connor Robert Henderson tragically passed away on June 4th at 30 years old. He was best known as a whiskey blender and bottling supervisor of True Story whiskey, where he worked with his father, Wes Henderson, and his siblings. Prior to True Story, Connor worked alongside his family at Angel’s Envy. He is survived by his wife Ashley Henderson, and his three children Liam, Hailie, and Owen.

Other Spirits

Macabre Spirits Adds a Jamaican Rum

Actor Matthew Lillard's Find Familiar Spirits—the name behind Quest’s End whiskeys—has added a Jamaican rum to its Macabre Spirits lineup. The new addition, Saltspray, is a 90-proof rum sourced from Hampden Distillery in Jamaica and comes accompanied by an original horror story by writer Gemma Amor. Both components will be available on seelbachs.com starting Tuesday, June 23rd.

Meet Castle Freke, An Irish Gin for Sipping

For the overwhelming majority of drinkers, gin is a spirit for mixing first and foremost, serving as the cornerstone of Martinis, Negronis, G&Ts, Gimlets, and many other cocktails. But Castle Freke bills itself as a “sipping gin,” made from Dutch wheat spirit and rare ingredients like juniper from Tuscany and Macedonia, coriander from the Nile Delta, Ethiopian myrrh, myrtle from the Castle Freke grounds, and citrus from Pyrenean orchards. It launches next month with an eye-popping SRP of $245 a bottle. The brand recommends sipping it neat with a garnish or in a dry Martini.