Treaty Oak Distilling Secures Financing From An Exotic Source

Treaty Oak Distilling, producer of Treaty Oak Whiskey and Waterloo Gin, today announced that it has closed financing from Whiskey Capital Finance, the nation’s foremost firm financing emerging whiskey brands. Treaty Oak is the first Texas-based distillery to secure financing from the firm, which specializes in lending to whiskey producers across the industry.

Treaty Oak Distilling was founded in 2006 by Daniel Barnes, becoming the fourth legal distillery in Texas. The vanguard team of distillers aims to produce the highest-quality spirits that purposefully break from convention, including the grain-to-glass Treaty Oak Ghost Hill Bourbon, which recently won the prestigious Good Food Award in 2020 for excellence in social and environmental responsibility and was recognized as one of Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 spirits of 2019.

“Becoming the first Texas distillery to secure financing from Whiskey Capital Finance, especially in the current economic climate, not only validates that we at Treaty Oak are doing something right, but that Texas whiskey is becoming increasingly popular and respected across the industry,” said Barnes. “The aging environment in Texas is vastly different than the traditional bourbon environment in Kentucky, and we, like many other Texas whiskey makers, are learning how to use that to our advantage to produce the best damned bourbon possible.”

The spirits industry, particularly the American whiskey category, has experienced significant growth over the last year. The Distilled Spirits Council of the US (DISCUS) reported that American Whiskey sales increased by 10.8% percent in 2019, while the premium spirits segment as a whole grew more than 13%. Overall, spirits sold by suppliers in the United States were up 5.3% in 2019, setting a new record of $29 billion in annual sales.

“We founded Whiskey Capital Finance to be a reliable partner and dedicated lender to growing independent American whiskey brands,” said Whiskey Capital Finance Managing Director Stephen Campbell. “Whiskey Capital Finance is proud to partner with Treaty Oak and other spirits entrepreneurs who are building businesses with outstanding products and authentic stories while creating jobs in this rapidly-expanding segment of the spirits market.”

Treaty Oak is based in Dripping Springs, Texas and is a pillar in its local community, including Hill Country and Austin. In light of recent global events and their effects on the restaurant, bar, and spirits industries, Treaty Oak has pivoted its business to support its community by transitioning its production to hand sanitizer, as well as providing to-go food options and grocery services locally.