Holladay Distillery, the historic bourbon maker out of Weston, Missouri, has locked in a significant new distribution deal that could put its whiskey in a lot more hands across the country. The distillery, which operates under the McCormick Distilling Company umbrella, announced a multi-state partnership with Empire Distributors Inc., covering Colorado, Georgia, and Tennessee — three states with serious drinking cultures and competitive spirits markets.
For a distillery with roots going back to 1856, this kind of move signals that Holladay isn't content to stay a regional secret much longer.
A Deal Built on More Than Just Moving Cases
Empire Distributors isn't a new player. Founded back in 1940, the company has spent more than eight decades building relationships with retailers, restaurants, and bars across multiple states. That kind of ground-level presence is exactly what a growing spirits brand needs when it's trying to get its bottles behind bar tops and onto store shelves in markets it doesn't already dominate.
Patrick Fee, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at McCormick Distilling Company, made clear that the appeal of Empire goes beyond simple logistics. "Empire brings more than just strong distribution capabilities; they bring a true partnership mindset," Fee said. "Their commitment to trust, collaboration, and long-term brand building gives us great confidence as we continue to grow in Colorado and beyond."
That language — trust, collaboration, long-term — is notable. In the spirits industry, distribution relationships can make or break a brand. Getting the wrong partner means your bottles gather dust in the back of a warehouse instead of landing in front of customers. Getting the right one means your product moves, your brand gets talked about, and bartenders start recommending it by name.
Gary Wolfe, Chief Operating Officer at Empire Distributors, seemed equally enthusiastic about what McCormick brings to the table. "We are excited to welcome McCormick Distilling Company's top-notch brands to the Empire Colorado family and further invest in our partnership with them in Georgia and Tennessee," Wolfe said. "As the market continues to change, we are focused on bringing premium spirits to our customers and recognize that McCormick's product lineup is the perfect addition to our portfolio."
The fact that Wolfe specifically mentioned an expanding relationship in Georgia and Tennessee — not just a new one in Colorado — suggests this partnership already had some traction before this announcement formalized it.
What's Actually Going to Be on the Shelves
Under this agreement, Empire will carry the full Holladay Distillery lineup, with the headline act being the Holladay Bourbons. These are Missouri-made whiskeys with real historical weight behind them. The distillery was originally founded by Ben Holladay in 1856, and some of its recipes — including the Ben Holladay Bourbon — trace back more than 160 years. The Holladay Soft Red Wheat expression is another standout, offering a different profile than the corn-heavy bourbons that dominate most of the market.
Beyond the bourbons, Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur will also be part of the distribution rollout. Irish cream has seen a quiet resurgence among drinkers who want something richer and more complex than the standard options that have dominated that category for decades.
The broader McCormick portfolio coming along for the ride includes Tequila Rose, Broker's Gin, 360 Vodka, and Hussong's Tequila. That's a wide range of spirit categories, giving Empire a diverse set of products to pitch across different account types — from neighborhood liquor stores to hotel bars to steakhouses.
Why These Three States Matter
Colorado, Georgia, and Tennessee aren't random choices. Colorado has a craft spirits scene that's exploded over the past decade, and its consumers tend to actively seek out products with authentic heritage stories — exactly what Holladay offers. Tennessee is bourbon country adjacent, which means its drinkers know their whiskey and expect quality. Convincing Tennessee drinkers to reach for a Missouri bourbon is a real test, and it's one worth taking if the product can hold its own.
Georgia, meanwhile, is one of the fastest-growing spirits markets in the Southeast. Atlanta alone has become a major hub for both on-premise drinking culture and retail spirits sales. Empire already has an established footprint there, which means Holladay won't be starting from scratch in terms of account relationships.
A Distillery Worth Knowing
For anyone who hasn't made the trip to Weston, Missouri, Holladay Distillery is the kind of place that reminds you why American whiskey has the reputation it does. The town itself sits in the northwest corner of the state, and the distillery offers tours that walk visitors through both the production process and the history of the region.
The bourbon being made there isn't chasing trends. The recipes are old, the approach is traditional, and the focus is on the grain — particularly that soft red wheat, which gives the flagship expression a smoother, slightly sweeter character than bourbons built on rye or high-corn mashbills. It's the kind of whiskey that rewards a slow pour and a quiet evening rather than a loud cocktail.
That heritage angle is something Empire will likely lean into heavily as it introduces the brand to new markets. In a spirits landscape flooded with new labels and marketing gimmicks, a distillery that's been operating continuously since before the Civil War has a story that sells itself — if the liquid in the bottle backs it up.
The Bigger Picture for McCormick
This partnership is part of a broader push by McCormick Distilling Company to grow its premium lineup through regional distributors who have deep market knowledge and existing account relationships. Rather than trying to go national through a single massive distributor, the strategy appears to be building state-by-state with partners who are invested in the long game.
It's a patient approach, and it reflects the reality of how premium spirits actually grow. Bottles don't fly off shelves because of national campaigns alone. They move because a sales rep walked into a restaurant and convinced the beverage director to put it on the menu. They move because a shop owner tasted it and decided to give it a prominent spot on the shelf. That kind of ground-level selling is exactly what a distributor like Empire — with more than 80 years of relationship-building behind it — is built to do.
For bourbon drinkers in Colorado, Georgia, and Tennessee, the practical result is simple: Holladay is coming to a store or bar near you. And based on what's in the bottle, that's worth paying attention to.
