Today we’d like to introduce you to Leonard Firestone.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Troy and I both had successful careers in other industries when we decided to take on the risk of a new profession. I was in television broadcasting and Troy was in the oil & gas industry. Before we started the company, we met one another after our wives were introduced through a neighborhood playgroup for our kids. We got to be friends, but what we didn’t know is that we were both thinking about starting a whiskey distillery in Fort Worth. One afternoon I got a call from Troy, and he said, “I hear you want to get into the whiskey business!” I couldn’t have been more surprised because I had only told my wife. Turned out Troy was visiting with a person in the industry who I was going to see the next week. We put it all together and quickly realized we both had the same vision. We had lunch the next day, and spent all afternoon talking about the industry and the business plan. It was uncanny how similar our ideas were, and we decided to partner up that day.
Since that day in late 2009, we have been totally committed to building the company. In the early days, of course, it was just the two of us doing the heavy lifting to get things going. We then were able to hire our Head Distillery, Rob Arnold, and some support staff. It was an incredible entrepreneurial environment. There were just a few of us working incredibly long hours every day fulfill orders, make our leather tops, bottle TX, build cases, and distill our bourbon. It was an amazing time in our company’s short history. The best part about it was the fact that our distributor kept calling us and saying, “people are really liking your whiskey, when can we pick up more?”
Since that time, every month has been better than the last. Our distribution grew in the first year throughout Texas, and then we opened up distribution in Louisiana and Oklahoma. And, this past summer, we started distributing in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia and New Jersey.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been everything but smooth. But that’s what’s been so exciting for us. A dynamic and exhilaration roller coaster ride. We always knew we would become a scaled brand, but it happened a lot quicker than we anticipated. And with such exponential growth, comes its unique challenges and pains. But nothing we didn’t relish, or take on head first. We have had a lot of struggles as well, but the 2 primary ones we were impacted with the most have been (1) supply constraints, and (2) controlling our expansion. Both Troy and I want to do a so much more than we have time for.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. story. Tell us more about the business.
Firestone & Robertson Distilling Company is a premier artisanal whiskey distillery located in Fort Worth, Texas. We released the first whiskey brand, TX Blended Whiskey in June 2012. This whiskey was awarded both “Double Gold” and “Best American Craft Whiskey” honors at the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The anticipated, first-ever North Texas bourbon, TX Straight Bourbon, was released December 2016.
Tasting notes for TX Whiskey:
The spirit boasts an extraordinarily complex spectrum of fragrance and flavors that mix well or stand alone on the rocks or neat. The spirit boasts a rich auburn color with vanilla bean, oak and pear on the nose. Honey butter, banana, caramel and coffee tastes come through on the palate, and the finish is long, smooth and slightly sweet.
ABV: 41%
Proof: 82
Tasting notes for TX Straight Bourbon:
In the glass, TX Straight Bourbon is a dark amber color – an indicator of the effect the hot Texas climate has had after years of aging in oak barrels. Upon swirling, long and slow legs showcase the spirit’s brilliant viscosity. At bottle strength, the nose is very bold with aromas of rich oak, caramel, cinnamon and allspice. Using a few drops of water for dilution, dark dried fruit, coconut, toasted almonds and more sweet spice fragrances radiate in the glass. On the palate, the velvety, mouth-coating sensation of the bourbon, along with its supreme drinkability, becomes apparent. The aromas carry through on the taste and provide a lingering finish.
ABV: 45%
Proof: 90
Our new property called Whiskey Ranch, will be the largest whiskey distillery west of the Mississippi. Sitting on the 112-acre historic golf course previously called Glen Garden Country Club, it is the only distillery on a fully functioning 18-hole golf course and will be the first distillery with a 45-foot copper column still in full view, along with the world’s first “doubler” designed with site windows for public tours. We took great care with the design of Whiskey Ranch to ensure it would be an immersive experience for visitors and Whiskey Ranch will offer an expansive retails area, the TX tavern for tastings and cocktails, the Oak Room for large scale events, a wraparound porch with two outdoor fireplaces, and outdoor courtyard with lush greenery and a fire pit, and more.
What role has luck (good luck or bad luck) played in your life and business?
Luck is fleeting, and unpredictable. It comes and goes, and it eventually also balances out. Troy and I believe in luck, we also believe in meticulous planning, and hard work – which we believe influence ‘luck’ to a very great extent. We’ve been fortunate to have each other’s POV which eventually balances each other out – and we end up in a great place that is right for the business and the brand.
Pricing:
- TX BLENDED WHISKEY Suggested Retail Price: $35
- TX STRAIGHT BOURBON Suggested Retail Price: $50
Contact Info:
- Address: Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co.
2601 Whiskey Ranch Road
Fort Worth, Texas - Website: https://www.frdistilling.com/
- Phone: 817) 840-9140
- Email: Info@FRDistilling.com
- Instagram: @frdistilling
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRDistilling/
Image Credit:
Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co.
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