OF PLEASURE AND GOOD CHEER
Henderson Spirits Group is Diversifying the Spirits Industry
BY CLEVELAND FERGUSON III
W hen Alan L. Henderson (Alpha 1992) played for Indiana, he led the team in rebounding all four years. He is the only Indiana University player to rank in the school’s top five in rebounding, blocked shots, and steals. The Atlanta Hawks then selected him as the 16th pick in the National Basketball Association. But at heart, he was always interested in being an entrepreneur. “When I was playing in Atlanta, we had a pretty successful independent music label and studio. We sold over 10,000 records and had an artist signed to Def Jam. And over the years, I’ve invested in different businesses from medical supply companies to Smoothie Kings.” “I had some fraternity brothers from college who created a liqueur brand about 15 years ago. I talked to them about becoming an investor in their brand.” While he did not invest in that brand, he developed an intense curios- ity about the industry and the stories of African Americans in the spirit industry.
Henderson Spirits Group makes award-winning spirits based on African Americans in spirits history. “We have two brands. One is called Tom Bullock’s. Tom Bullock was the first African American to get a cocktail book published back in 1917. His book, The Ideal Bartender , is still sold today.” “Our other brand is called Birdie Brown. Birdie Brown was an African American lady who homesteaded in Montana in the early 1900s. She ended up growing her own grains, distilling her own liquor, and selling it out of her own parlor during Prohibition. I like
to tell those amazing stories and share these examples of perseverance and entrepreneurship at unexpected times through my brands.” Henderson’s company is based in Indiana and has distribution in 10 states and the ability to ship to 30 states on line. The Group’s mission is to ‘Diversify the Bar’. “When I say that, I’m talking about the people, the places, and the perspectives. As we grow, I look forward to bringing on talent, developing that talent, and put- ting them in the position where they can continue growing in my organiza- tion or they are prepared to either go work for other companies or start their own company in this industry.” Bullock and Brown influence Hen- derson Spirits Group products. “Tom Bullock has a recipe in his cocktail book where he roasted oranges over a fire and soaked them overnight in whiskey to make a cocktail. That recipe influenced me to make the world’s first burnt orange bourbon. Another product in that brand is an Old Tom Gin with Sweet Lime, which was influenced by Tom’s love of Old
HENDERSON SPIRITS GROUP info@hendersonspiritsgroup.com IG @hendersonspiritsgroup www.hendersonspiritsgroup.com Tom Bullocks IG @tombullocks
Birdie Brown IG @sipbiride
WINTER 2023-2024 ♦ THE JOURNAL 45
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