Hood River, Oregon-based Hood River Distillers, announced a partnership with Twenty20 Beverages to provide an expanded sales force for the 31 states that comprise the eastern half of the United States.
“For over 90 years, Hood River Distillers has crafted award-winning spirits from the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. From value to super-premium, amaro to whiskey, our portfolio has just about everything, and provides exceptional quality, no matter the price point,” said Russell Dodge, executive vice president, Hood River Distillers. “As we updated our route to market strategy with an eye to the next chapter of our growth, we needed a partner who could help us regain our footing in the critical Eastern market and the Twenty20 team is an ideal fit.”
“We are thrilled to embark on our new partnership with Hood River Distillers,” said Ashley Burnette, partner, Twenty20 Beverages. “Their brands and the people behind them are some of the most respected in the industry. With HRD, the quality is definitely in the bottle, and we can’t wait to help them regain their prominence in the East.”
While the Twenty20 team will represent the entire Hood River portfolio, they will focus on several core brands:
• Clear Creek Fruit Brandies & Liqueurs – created at one of the 1st craft distilleries in the U.S. from local fruits sourced within a 200-mile radius of the Hood River, Oregon distillery.
• McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt – recognized by the American Single Malt Commission as the first American Single Malt Whiskey.
• Lucid Absinthe – created by research scientist and absinthe expert T.A. Breaux, and the first authentic absinthe to be sold following the repeal of the 95-year ban on the sale of this classic cocktail ingredient in the United States.
• DeGroff Spirits – a New World Amaro and Bitter Aperitivo created in partnership with cocktail legend Dale DeGroff.
• Batanga Tequila – an authentic yet affordable tequila crafted from 100% blue Weber agave by the Orendain Family, one of the four founding families of the modern tequila industry.
• Trail’s End Bourbon – an ultra-premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished with Oregon Oak and glacier-fed spring water from Mt. Hood.