Four Branches Bourbon Raises More Than $400,000 for Veterans and First Responders
Veteran-Owned Craft Spirit Company Gives Back to Honor Veteran-Focused Nonprofits
In 2023, four veterans came together to create Four Branches Bourbon to raise a glass to honor the sacrifices of those who have served. One significant way the company has demonstrated this honor is by helping to raise money through bottle auctions and directly donating to nonprofits that support veterans, first responders and their families. Since May 2023, Four Branches Bourbon has helped raise more than $400,000.
“The inspiration for Four Branches came from a fellow Marine and CIA contract officer, Greg Wright Jr. who sacrificed his life to help save others while on a mission in the Middle East,” said Rick Franco, co-founder of Four Branches Bourbon. Rick and Greg first met when they were classmates at the Virginia Military Institute before joining the Marines. “We are deeply inspired by his courage and giving back to veteran organizations. Helping to raise awareness about those like Greg who serve, and their families, was an important bond on which we built this company.”
Four Branches actively focuses its philanthropic efforts on supporting organizations that serve veterans, first responders and specialized units connected to the founders’ service including special operations and intelligence communities. Current beneficiaries of this commitment included Folds of Honor, a nonprofit dedicated to providing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military personnel; The Third Option Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to heal, support and honor the officers of the CIA Special Activities Center and their families; and The Special Forces Association, a nonprofit that serves to educate the public on the history, present and future development of the U.S. Army Special Forces.
“It has been a privilege to support the fundraising efforts of these vital organizations and reach this milestone in such a short period of time,” said Mike Trott, co-founder and managing principal of Four Branches Bourbon. “We did not expect such an outpouring of support to rally around Four Branches and it’s such an honor to be able to give back.”
Like any good military unit, resourcefulness is a critical component of success and something the founders have leaned on from their decades of military experience. When you don’t have specific expertise, you find someone who does. When the partners were ready to launch Four Branches, they contracted Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, KY to blend and bottle the bourbon. They benefited from the knowledge of legendary Bourbon Hall of Fame Master Distiller Steve Nally, who guided them in the blending room to create their award-winning Founders Blend. Soon after the launch, the founders tapped bourbon and spirit industry veterans to guide their business efforts: Johnny Manuel, former senior executive and Director of Sales for Brown Forman for nearly 40 years; Tim Condon, a former Brown Forman CFO and former Rabbit Hole Distillery CFO; and Nick Nelson, principal of Unbridled Spirits and also a retired Brown Forman director. All three are members of the Four Branches advisory group and executive coaches who have supported the founders’ efforts to make giving back a priority as well as building a successful new craft brand.
“It’s truly impressive to see this small bourbon company making such a big impact,” said Manuel. “We are all proud to be part of supporting the unique brand story of its founders and the ultra-superb bourbon they created. And we admire their efforts to raise over $400,000 in less than 18 months to support veteran-focused nonprofits.”
Four Branches’ first release was its Founders Blend Bourbon, made using a unique four-grain mash blend of corn, rye, malted barley and wheat from barrels between four and seven years old. In early 2024 the Founders Blend won back-to-back awards: a Double Gold medal at the SIP Awards and a Gold Medal at the American Spirits Council Ascot awards competition. Most recently, the Founders Blend earned a Gold Medal in the 2024 PROOF Awards in the Masked tasting. Bottles of the Founders Blend have been auctioned off at many national fundraising events reaching impressive levels of $5,000, $15,000, and even more than $20,000 was paid for a single bottle.
Four Branches has trademarked unique brand messages: Serve Honorably, Drink Honorably and Sip to Remember. The founders wish to convey the importance of “sipping to remember” instead of “drinking to forget.”
Four Branches Founders Blend is available for online purchases and direct shipment to 32 states. It is also available in select retail stores, restaurants and bars in Florida, Tennessee, Arizona, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland and Washington D.C.
For more information on Four Branches visit www.fourbranches.com and follow on social media at @FourBranchesBourbon.
