Pinhook Bourbon operates as a boutique whiskey brand founded by Sean Josephs and Michael Kanbar, but you won’t find traditional distillery tours here since they don’t have a physical visitor facility at their New York office address. Instead, this brand represents something different in the bourbon world – they partner with established distilleries to create annual vintage releases, with each year’s bourbon coming from different barrels and distillery sources. Josephs brings horse racing connections to the brand, while Kanbar has an extensive background in spirits and innovation. The brand launched in 2014 with a unique concept: each annual release is named after a different racehorse, and they track both the whiskey’s aging progress and the horse’s racing career simultaneously. Their bourbon and rye expressions are sourced from various Kentucky distilleries and bottled at different proof points depending on what the barrels deliver each year. The New York address serves as their business headquarters where blending decisions and brand strategy happen, but the actual production occurs through partnerships with established distilleries in Kentucky and other whiskey regions.