Alexander Stein, creator of the Monkey 47 gin brand, has partnered up with Spirit Cartel as the new distributor for his Horse With No Name bourbon.
Spirit Cartel was the distributor that launched Monkey 47 in the UK and played a key role in its rapid growth during the late 2010s.
As part of Stein’s relaunch of Horse With No Name bourbon, it will transition from 50cl bottles to 70cl versions, while maintaining the same pricing for both on and off-trade stockists.
As well as his past experience of dealing with Spirit Cartel, Stein said he was also swayed by the company’s ‘deep and extensive experience’ of American whiskey.
Its portfolio already includes Four Roses bourbon and James E. Pepper rye whiskies and it has previously represented Westward American single malt whiskey.
Initially, Spirit Cartel will be majoring its efforts on Horse With No Name’s bourbon infused with 2% habanero chili distillate, while also distributing its classic bourbon and rye expressions.
The habanero chili distillate is mellowed by being rested in earthenware tanks for several months. The process is said to eliminate the chilli’s heat, while preserving a vibrant fruit character to create a distinctive bourbon with a smooth finish and subtle spice quality.
All three are produced at the Firestone & Robertson distillery in Fort Worth and presented in a distinctive bottle modelled on a Western-style cut-glass hip flask.
Stein said: “I’m looking forward to working with Spirit Cartel again and confident we can build on the shared success we had with Monkey 47. To paraphrase the slogan on our bottles, I ‘wouldn’t saddle for anything less!’”.
Spirit Cartel’s general manager David Hood, added: “It’s fantastic to have Alex back with another great brand. Coming up is a concerted trade push to really bring the brand alive – and help it to fulfil its obvious potential.”
