Virginia Distillery Co. (VDC) has announced the launch of Pound & Penny Spirits, a new sales and brand-building platform designed to partner with distinctive, premium spirits brands seeking strategic commercial growth and brand oversight.
The first brand to join the platform is Cierto Tequila, an additive-free tequila, crafted from 100% estate-grown Blue Weber agave in Jalisco, Mexico.
The launch marks a significant evolution for Virginia Distillery Co. With Pound & Penny Spirits, the company will now leverage its commercial infrastructure and brand-building expertise to support select partner brands that share a commitment to authenticity and quality.
“Over the past several years, we’ve built a best-in-class commercial organization within the growing American Single Malt category,” said Andrew Meissner, Chief Commercial Officer. “Pound & Penny allows us to extend that capability beyond our own distillery, partnering with exceptional brands that deserve strong strategic execution in the U.S. market and beyond.”
Introducing Cierto Tequila
As the founding partner brand, Cierto Tequila embodies the type of uncompromising craftsmanship Pound & Penny was built to champion. Meaning “true,” Cierto is a 100% additive-free tequila crafted by fourth- and fifth-generation agaveros using fully mature estate-grown Highlands agave and regenerative farming practices
The portfolio reflects a deep commitment to time and technique, incorporating copper pot distillation, rare French Limousin oak aging, and access to what is widely regarded as the largest and oldest aged tequila library in the world. Since its inception, Cierto has earned more than 1,100 international awards, making it the Most Awarded Tequila in History with its Private Collection offering four unique expressions of Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo, all positioned at the high end of accessible luxury. “Cierto represents exactly the type of brand we want to partner with: uncompromising on liquid quality, heritage driven, and built for the long term, but ready for more strategic commercial scale,” said Andrew Meissner.
“Cierto has always stood for purity, time, and truth in tequila,” added Evan Aldrich, co-founder of Cierto. “With Pound & Penny, we’ve found a partner that respects the integrity of our product and understands how to build a luxury brand with discipline. Together, we’re focused on expanding distribution the right way, protecting the craftsmanship while accelerating thoughtful growth.”
Pound & Penny Spirits: A Sales & Marketing Platform Built for Premium Brands
Pound & Penny Spirits provides national sales management, distributor strategy and oversight, pricing architecture, national account development, feet-in-street selling, and full marketing planning, structured as a long-term brand partnership rather than a traditional brokerage model. The Pound & Penny portfolio is seeking nationwide, category-exclusive premium brand partnerships focused on Bourbon, Gin, Rum, and international whiskies, with several new partner conversations already underway.
The model combines strategic leadership with true field sales execution, focused on premium retail and high-end on-premise accounts. The platform was built over years at Virginia Distillery Co., with every step taken through a long-term lens, investing patiently in the right markets, choosing the right partners, and building steady, sustainable momentum over time. Pound & Penny is constructed as something its founders would want to buy themselves: disciplined, strategically aligned, and results-driven.