Spirit of Gallo, the #4 spirits supplier in the USA by volume, announced that it has entered the American Whiskey category by making a strategic investment in Horse Soldier Bourbon brand and effective immediately will begin distributing the brand in the United States.
Horse Soldier Bourbon was founded in 2016 by John Koko, Elizabeth Pritchard-Koko, Scott Neil, and key retired members of the hand-selected detachment of Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group who were the first to enter Afghanistan on horseback weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This brave and unconventional act earned them the moniker of “Horse Soldiers,” and their story was told in the 2018 action-drama film “12 Strong.”
Horse Soldier is available in 17 U.S. states and is currently the #8 selling Ultra-Premium Bourbon, outpacing all its competitors in the $40+ pricing category with +97% growth in dollars leading into the summer*. Earlier in 2022, Horse Soldier Bourbon achieved Double Gold Medal Awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition across all its expressions.
“Today marks an important date in Gallo company history as Spirit of Gallo enters the large and rapidly growing American Whiskey category. Horse Soldier Bourbon has built an extremely loyal consumer following and will allow us the opportunity to serve our partners and customers in new and exciting ways,” said Britt West, Sr. Vice President and General Manager for Spirit of Gallo. “The addition of Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey to our portfolio is a true honor that represents an alignment of family values, legacies, and pioneering spirits. We look forward to continuing to work with the entire Horse Soldier team to unlock the full potential of this award-winning bourbon as we continue to share its legendary story and expand both visibility and availability across the United States,” he adds.
“We have built Horse Soldier Bourbon on true American values. It’s these same values that represent this ideal alignment between Horse Soldier Bourbon and the Spirit of Gallo,” said John Koko, CEO & Chairman of Horse Soldier Bourbon. He continued, “From the hills of Afghanistan to the valleys of Somerset Kentucky, we’ve learned that you are only as good as the company you keep, and we are proud of this new partnership. It positions us for unprecedented growth and preserves our legacy through the best-in-class capabilities and commitment that the entire Spirit of Gallo organization brings to consumers across the country.”
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Click here to sign up for The Bourbon Flight Newsletter.
