Pittsburgh-based landmark Distillery Wigle Whiskey and its sister craft cider company Threadbare Cider & Mead entered into an agreement of sale to Pittsburgh Spirits. The sale to Pittsburgh Spirits, a family-owned, sister company of Highlands Ventures, ensures that the brand will remain family-owned, grounded in Pittsburgh, and will be able to continue to expand.
Wigle Whiskey re-ignited Pittsburgh’s 200-year whiskey tradition when it started distilling in 2011. Named for Philip Wigle, the man who started the 1790s Whiskey Rebellion in protest of Alexander Hamilton’s Whiskey tax–the first excise tax in American history– when he punched a federal tax collector. Wigle was the first direct-to-consumer craft distillery in Pennsylvania since Prohibition. Wigle founders lobbied to change 3 state laws, which helped usher in the modern craft distilling era into Pennsylvania.
Wigle ranks in the top 10% of Craft Distilleries nationwide by scale. It is a 2x James Beard Semi-Finalist and remains the most awarded craft whiskey distillery in the US for 7 Years by the American Craft Spirits Association. Wigle has been named Best Distillery in Pittsburgh for a decade from both Pittsburgh Magazine and the Pittsburgh City Paper. Wigle has also been twice named one of the Top 10 Craft Distilleries in the US by USA Today and has been twice featured on the front page of the NYTimes food section.
Threadbare, named for Pittsburgher Johnny Appleseed, who created the frontier hard cider industry, has similarly been named a top 10 Cider House in the US by USA Today and has won numerous medals from the Industry’s most prestigious competition, the Great Lakes International Cider & Perry Competition.
“Wigle and Threabare have become key parts of an ever-evolving food scene in Pittsburgh and throughout the region,” said Eric Mauck, CEO of Pittsburgh Spirits. “Our goal is to listen and learn from the current team of experts as to how our hospitality and customer service experts can best support the future of both brands.”
Wigle produces, directly sells, and distributes Rye Whiskey, Bourbon as well as a wider portfolio of Ready to Drink Cocktails, Gin, Rum, Liqueurs, Amari and Bitters in ten states. At their Strip District Distillery, Wigle offers a bucket-list tour, a highly regarded bar and restaurant, mini-museum and retail store.
Threadbare’s main Cider House location is on Pittsburgh’s North Side, where it produces Ciders and Meads from regional orchards and apiaries. Threadbare distributes its Ciders in a number of states and ships nationally.
Graham Morrison of Chapman Associates, Jaclyn Faulds of Houston Harbaugh, and Accountant Sean Brennan of BDO, represented Wigle Whiskey & Threadbare Cider. Flaharty & O’Hara, P.C, Liquor Attorney represented Pittsburgh Spirits.
