I’m 100 percent admitting to being a brand geek. When I actually get a chance to meet the woman behind the brand, I’m totally the one fangirling in the corner.
I had a chance to meet this impressive woman at a retreat this past July. Lori Carcich, Founder and CEO of Country Smooth Bourbon is the first female founder and CEO of an American Whiskey company! Lori started the brand in 2015 after being inspired by Country Music and the American Lifestyle. Her goal was to create a whiskey that could be enjoyed by anyone no matter their experience with the spirit by making it approachable and modern.
Lori dove head first into this male-dominated industry with no fear! Her father taught Lori at a young age that she had to work hard and fight for what she wanted and Lori has done just that! The beverage industry is a beast, and pursuing product placements requires you to be relentless, but that didn’t scare her away.
Lori shared with me her love of hiking and how she’s been able to draw parallels to the uphill battle of the beverage industry. To my amazement, I learned that this woman has hiked over 475 miles, and she spoke about doing a lot of those miles alone! There were stories that she recounted where she started hikes with friends who would later turn around and go home leaving her to the mountain alone. I was shocked to hear about bear encounters, gnarly storms, and strangers appearing while on these solo hikes.. This woman is a force to be reckoned with and I can’t wait to continue following her journey and witness the impact she makes through her brand!
Country Smooth is bottled in Nashville Tennessee, and distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN and can be ordered directly from their website and many liquor stores and bars around the country.
