Louisville, KY (March 11, 2024) – Barrell Craft Spirits® (BCS) today announced that it has officially launched its award-winning spirits portfolio in the United Kingdom (UK). The original independent blender known for its unique, aged, cask strength whiskey, has selected Axiom Brands as its brand-building distribution partner for both on- and off-trade.

“We’re excited to partner with Axiom Brands – an independent company like Barrell Craft Spirits, which is both passionate about and deeply immersed in the UK drinks market,” said BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “We’re thrilled to have pioneered the movement to elevate the art of blending in the United States. The UK is a crucial distilled spirits market as we look to expand our distribution abroad.”

“We have a long-standing history in our team with the American Whiskey category,” said Ian Bayliss, Co-Founder Axiom Brands. “We are thrilled to welcome the most exciting new American whisky brand to come out of the US right now into the Axiom portfolio and begin the journey of establishing Barrell Craft Spirits on all the best back bars and retail shelves across the UK for consumers and trade to explore.”

Founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, BCS selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments. BCS’s extensive stocks of high-quality casks mean it can craft extraordinary blends that maximize the nuances of each ingredient. Creative finishes and a liberated approach to blending guides every product release.

The BCS cask-strength small-batch and single-barrel releases have quickly become an influencing force in American whiskey, picking up more than 150 awards from the world’s most prestigious distilled spirits publications and competitions. They include the “Chairman’s Trophy” and top score (97/100) in the American whisk(e)y category at the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge for Barrell Dovetail American Whiskey; and several top awards at the annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition, including Best Bourbon and Best Small Batch Bourbon – both overall and within the 6-10-year category – for Barrell Bourbon Batch 021 (2020), “Best Small Batch Bourbon over 11 years old” for Barrell Bourbon Batch 018 (2019), and “Best Bourbon” and “Best Small Batch Bourbon” for Barrell Bourbon Batch 11 and “Best Over Proof Rum” for Batch 001 (2017).

The award-winning line of BCS releases are now sold in 49 US states, Australia, Canada, and the UK.

Follow Barrell Craft Spirits on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit barrellbourbon.com.

Barrell Craft Spirits®
Louisville-based Barrell Craft Spirits® is the original, pre-eminent independent blender of unique, aged, cask strength whiskey and rum. Recognized for our blending expertise since 2013, we skillfully design, produce, and launch leading, unique products that surprise
and delight whiskey aficionados and novices alike. Our cask-strength small-batch and single-barrel releases have quickly become an influencing force in American whiskey, winning awards from the world’s most prestigious distilled spirits publications and competitions.

Barrell Craft Spirits®, Barrell®, Barrell Bourbon® and Barrell Rye® are registered trademarks owned by Barrell Craft Spirits LLC.

Axiom Brands
Since 2015, Axiom Brands has been transforming boutique luxury spirit brands into true UK market leaders. The company was founded by two entrepreneurs with a meticulous eye for world-class potential and knowledge of the UK drinks market. Today, a team of 15 in-house spirit experts are driven by developing tomorrow’s big players and a mission to serve world-class, ‘liquid first’ brands to the market, moulding the future of the industry, and defining the next consumer drinking trends. Axiom Brands is home to 15 luxury spirit brands, with three major acquisitions under its belt in just five years. Pushing the boundaries through innovative brand-building with its luxury network of the country’s most exclusive venues and retailers, Axiom Brands does more than move boxes, it builds brands.