Whiskey Entrepreneur Andrew Borenzweig on Crafting the Ultimate Sipping Experience with The Beverly High Rye

The Beverly High Rye, founded by Andrew Borenzweig, celebrates its first year anniversary as a standout brand in the American whiskey industry. Borenzweig’s passion for whiskey, developed during his time at a high-profile whiskey venture, led him to create a unique and luxurious sipping experience. The blend of straight rye and bourbon in The Beverly High Rye offers a bold yet smooth flavor profile that sets it apart from other whiskeys on the market.

The brand has been recognized with multiple awards, including Gold Medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. These accolades serve as a testament to the exceptional quality of The Beverly High Rye and the hard work of the team behind it. In just one year, the brand has gained a strong presence in renowned establishments across California and New York, such as Nobu and The Beverly Hills Hotel, where the whiskey is enjoyed and celebrated.

Sustainability is a key aspect of The Beverly High Rye’s mission. For every bottle sold, the brand partners with Trees for the Future to plant a tree, remove CO2, and restore land. This commitment reflects their dedication to a sustainable future and giving back to the environment.

Looking ahead, The Beverly High Rye has exciting plans for expansion and innovation. They are developing new products, including The Beverly Reserve, a barrel strength expression, and a special edition exclusive to a luxury hotel in Los Angeles. With a focus on quality, sustainability, and creating exceptional sipping experiences, The Beverly High Rye continues to make its mark and delight whiskey enthusiasts across the nation.

Congratulations on the 1st year anniversary of The Beverly High Rye. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur in this space, and what sets your brand apart from other American whiskeys on the market? Thank you very much! It’s definitely been an exciting journey. I have always wanted to build my own company. Before starting The Beverly High Rye, I worked for a high-profile whiskey venture backed by Drake and Proximo Spirits. I joined the company as an early stage start-up and had the opportunity to participate in developing the recipe, going to market and many other facets of the business over the next several years. I learned a lot about the industry and tasted a wide variety of American whiskeys, which helped refine my palate and spark my passion for whiskey.

When I decided to create The Beverly High Rye, I wanted to offer an elevated sipping experience with a unique and luxurious flavor profile. We took a meticulous approach to craftsmanship and design. As a Los Angeles native, I was inspired to capture the city’s ethos of laid back luxury. Our whiskey is an award-winning blend of straight rye and straight bourbon. It balances bright rye spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar with the rich feel of bourbon, achieving the boldness characteristic of rye, while smoother and more inviting than a traditional rye. It is — in my opinion — the ultimate sipping whiskey.

The Beverly High Rye has been honored with multiple awards. Can you tell us what it means to you as the founder of the brand? We’ve had an incredibly warm reception to The Beverly High Rye over the past year, which has been a great feeling. Winning Gold Medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for both whiskey and product design is a testament to the fine quality of our product. It took a significant body of work to perfect The Beverly High Rye — earning high praise on the industry’s biggest stage is certainly cause to celebrate with everyone who helped make it possible.

It has only been a year, and The Beverly High Rye can already be found in many world-class bars across California and New York. How has the brand evolved and grown since its launch, and what milestones or achievements are you particularly proud of? I am proud to say The Beverly High Rye is available at some of the best and most beloved bars and restaurants in the world, including Nobu, Mastro’s, 1 Hotel, The Beverly Hills Hotel and many others. I grew up celebrating special occasions with my family at Nobu. It’s special to see our whiskey featured at their restaurants today. I’ve been thrilled by the positive response from our partners and their clientele alike.

We’re constantly refining the experience we want to curate, and while we have an eye towards growth, we are selective with the partners we choose to make sure our whiskey is served on occasions that it helps elevate best — for example, pairing it with a steak or enjoying it in an elegant cocktail. Our partners have done an exceptional job incorporating The Beverly High Rye into cocktails that enhance the overall dining experience.

Sustainability is an important aspect of your brand’s mission. Why is it important for you to include environmental initiatives when doing business and how they align with your vision? We’re committed to doing our part for a sustainable future. Our whiskey is aged in barrels made from American oak trees, which can be 80-100 years old before they are turned into barrels. Using these trees lets us make whiskey, so it is important to us to give back to the environment. For every bottle sold, through our partnership with Trees for the Future, one tree is planted, four pounds of CO2 are removed, four pounds of organic produce are created, and sixteen square feet of land are restored.

Your partnership with Nobu Los Angeles resulted in the creation of an exclusive cocktail, the “Smoke Over Beverly.” Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind this cocktail and how it enhances the overall experience of The Beverly High Rye? The bar team at Nobu Los Angeles truly created the ultimate cocktail, leveraging The Beverly High Rye’s flavor profile with the richness and subtle sweetness of the Kuromitsu and chocolate bitters. It’s smoked with maple wood, which makes for an unforgettable presentation. It’s a distinctly “Nobu style” experience that brings out the sweeter side of the whiskey. I love to enjoy Smoke Over Beverly with the Prime Ribeye Crispy Onion or Bento Box for dessert.

What exciting plans do you have for the future of the brand? We have exciting new products in development, including The Beverly Reserve — a barrel strength expression — as well as a special expression that will be bottled exclusively for an iconic luxury hotel in Los Angeles. We’re expanding our footprint — we just partnered with Solage, an Auberge Resorts Collection resort in Napa Valley — and look forward to continuing to grow and introduce our whiskey to connoisseurs across the nation.