Exclusive Interview with James Warren, Master Distiller. Wild Horse Distillery, Inc. Kingsville, Texas, USA.

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Q: What is your full name, title, company name and company location?

James Warren, Master Distiller.  Wild Horse Distillery, Inc. Kingsville, Texas, USA.

Q: I understand you, your sister, and your brother-in-law founded the distillery.  What inspired you all to get into the spirits industry and why rum?

Wild Horse Distillery is a family-owned and managed distillery.  Jacob & Lisa Bynum (husband and wife) along with Lisa’s brother, James Warren, began preparing for this opportunity over a decade ago while also in the midst of stellar growth of Rifles Only—a world-class long-range firearms training facility that was started as a grassroots effort at the turn of the century.  After hearing stories of combat troops distilling their own spirits while on tour, their interest was piqued.  The addition of a distillery to their business portfolio seemed as natural as sharing a drink with their friends after a hard day of training on the Rifles Only range.

While Lisa and Jacob naturally understood the consumer product industry through their other business endeavors, James, our master distiller, developed a passion for distillation and a keen sense for consumer taste preferences that are the hallmark of Wild Horse Distillery spirits.  While it is important to us to use Texas- sourced ingredients and provide an ingredient-to-glass Texas product experience to our consumers, extensive experimentation and exquisite taste profiles set Wild Horse Spirits apart.

In an effort to bolster the resources required to launch and manage a world-class brand, the crew brought on a lifelong friend to work closely with them on business management and all things Wild Horse.  Troy Cox came with a track record of successfully launching and managing some of the globe’s top consumer brands, however, most importantly, he was Jacob’s childhood friend.  Troy grew up a couple of miles from what is now Wild Horse Distillery while also forging a lifelong friendship with James  (and Lisa) during their time as high school basketball teammates.  

It is through our family’s diverse skill sets and a collective passion for the spirits business that we set out to create a new generation of Texas spirits at Wild Horse Distillery.

It is an uncommon opportunity to pursue an endeavor with those closest to you.  We honor that opportunity through our diligent craftsmanship of each bottle of Wild Horse Distillery spirits—from our family to yours.

Q: Where did you gain your knowledge about the spirits industry in general and rum in particular?

The background that inspired the creation of Wild Horse Distillery cannot be told without mentioning Rifles Only which is located adjacent to our distillery and founded by three of our current distillery partners.

Rifles Only were started as a grassroots effort and have become one of the world’s top 5 class-5 firearms training organizations over the last two decades.  This business was built from a grassroots effort which afforded the founders deep connections within this community—serving all branches of the US military, scores of agencies around the world, and million+  shooting enthusiasts.  It was through these deep relationships that the seed for Wild Horse Distillery was planted, cultivated, and has now come to fruition.

Clients of Rifles Only come from every corner of the world and are often members of the nation’s most elite and lethal combat forces.  Training sessions are often multiple days or weeks.  During an extended training session 10 years ago, an Australian special forces soldier showed us how he distilled his own spirits in the mountains of Kandahar.  It was from here that our initial interest was piqued and led us to take steps to refine our processes, localize our ingredients and create what is now Wild Horse Distillery.

Q: Wild Horses and Texas are not typically associated with rum.  What has been the reaction of the market to your distillery and your rums?

Our distillery is located in the northernmost part of what was once known as The Wild Horse Desert.  This designation is fairly well known by current inhabitants of the area.  This is a key part of our product and brand story—we source ingredients from this area and the culture/work ethic is engrained in everything we do at Wild Horse Distillery.  Below is a brief history of the area and how it translates into what we do and how we do it:

In the early 1800s, this area located in the heart of the Texas Tropical Trail Region was known as “The Wild Horse Desert.” where large herds of mustangs ran wild. These herds are said to have drifted over the northern border of Mexico and others were left behind from 17th-century Spanish expeditions. The number of horses in these herds was so great that early explorers wrote of having to hire guards to watch their horses and pack mules to keep them from running away with the herds.

The early cowboys and ranch hands perfected their skills in capturing and taming the mustangs by building makeshift corrals. The mustangs were eventually sold to ranchers, cowboys, and soldiers including Ulysses S. Grant, future General and President, while he was camped on Corpus Christi Beach with Zachary Taylor’s Army.

By the end of the 1850s, the area between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River became disputed territory known as the Wild Horse Desert, where neither the Republic of Texas nor the Mexican government had clear control. Ownership was in dispute until the Mexican-American War. The area became filled with lawless characters that deterred settlers in the area.

An agreement signed between Mexico and the United States in the 1930s put the liability of payments to the descendants of the original land grants on Mexico. Eventually, nine Mexicans and Spaniards—two were women—gained ownership of the disputed land.

Cattle still reign supreme in Texas, thanks in part to Captain Richard King and his partner Mifflin Kenedy, two of our greatest ranching heritage icons. Both self-made men, King and Kenedy created a ranching dynasty that continues to thrive today. Kingsville is the birthplace of American ranching. It’s also where the stretch of coastal grasslands once known as the Wild Horse Desert begins.

Like those that roamed the Wild Horse Desert in the 19th and 20th centuries, we see a rich, abundant land that has provided for not only the families of South Texas, but the nation and world for generations.  The history of this land is characterized by the vision and resourcefulness of its inhabitants that shaped it throughout its history.  A land with an abundance of mustangs before there were automobiles, the birthplace of the American cattle industry and an area world-renowned for its oil and gas production.

At Wild Horse Distillery, we aim to honor the vision of our forefathers as our own by utilizing the unique resources available to create a truly unique and world-class product.  We have perfected the use of distinctive local ingredients & flavorings and crafted our product in single batch stills.  Utilizing the same tenacity and vision as our forefathers, we have tamed the Wild Horse Desert once again to bring you honest, hand-crafted spirits. Born in the Wild Horse Desert.  Fueled by the Goliad Sands Aquifer.  Inspired by Freedom.

Q: What was the process like, working with your local government, to get your permit approved for the distillery?  How long did it take?

We were fortunate enough to acquire legal assistance in this area from seasoned attorneys that managed the approximately 10-month process for us.  Our local government of Kingsville supported us tremendously at launch and we’ve built a great on-going partnership with them.

Q: What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Finding a distribution partner that aligned with our launch needs and long-term vision.  We changed distributors after our 1st year.  It is a testament to the professionalism and operational excellence of our current distribution partner, Favorite Brands, that the transition was smooth and our business grew substantially through that time.

Q: As with many other craft distilleries, each person wears more than just one hat.  Aside from being head distiller, what other job functions do you have?

Although I participate, review and evaluate the accounting side of the business, this is about the only thing I don’t do.  Outside of my duties as a distiller, my biggest impact is on the sales and marketing functions.  

Q: What rums are you currently producing?

  • White.  This hand-crafted rum is distilled in small batches solely from ingredients found in the Lone Star state. The taste profile is smooth and creamy with pleasing sugarcane aromas accented by hints of vanilla and molasses.  It offers a distinct, creamy finish to traditional rum cocktails and tiki drinks!
  • Gold. A naturally sweet rum with beautiful, bold American Whiskey notes blended with creamy honey and a balanced mesquite body, finishing with complimentary notes of caramel and Texas spice.  Great as a sipper, mixed in your tiki drinks or with more traditional rum cocktails like mojitos, dark n stormy’s and rum-based mules.
  • Texas.  Finished in char 3 American oak barrels, this rum has the overall taste profile of an aged whiskey in addition to a subtle, sweet nose of vanilla and caramel.  The body highlights distinct notes of butterscotch, charred oak & mesquite with an exceptionally long finish.  Great as a sipper or as a savory addition to your traditional whiskey drinks.

Q: What type of still do you use to distill your rums?

We started with a 150-gallon copper pot still which we outgrew and now operate a 500-gallon copper pot still.

Q: Can you describe your fermentation, is it the same for all rums?

Fermentation is the same for all of our current rums.  We use a 475-gallon closed-air, fermentation tank in a climate-controlled environment.  As most distillers agree, slow fermentation is key to a rich flavor profile.  Our fermentation takes approximately 6 weeks.

Q: I understand there is an aquifer near your distillery where you draw water for your productions.  Can you tell us more about it?

The Goliad Sands Aquifer is one of the most mineral-rich aquifers in Texas and it runs directly beneath our distillery.  This water provides a distinct texture and taste profile to our products while also maintaining the integrity of our Texas ingredient-to-glass process.

Q: Are there plans to add new rums to the portfolio in the future?

Yes, we are always developing new products and are currently working on two new ones to bring to market later this year.

Q: Where are your products currently available for purchase?

We are currently only in Texas at various independent liquor stores as well as at all Total Wine stores, however, we are always open to exploring distribution partnerships in other states so if interested, please contact me.  

Additional information can be found on our website www.wildhorsedistillery.com. 

Q: We have all been through quite a change in our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic, how has it affected your operation and how did you overcome the challenges?

Given our bedrock belief in the quality, distinctiveness, and value proposition of our product, we developed a strong onsite sampling campaign over the 1st two years of our launch.  While this strategy was effective, it was cut off and remains limited due to COVID-19 prohibition & limitations on sampling onsite.  Our momentum after our 2nd year placed us in the top 10% of sales volume for craft distilleries open for at least two years.  While this onsite sampling is a go-forward strategy for us, we are easing back into on-premise sales initiatives as bars and restaurants open back up.  We’ve found there is a unique on-premise opportunity for a Texas-made, best quality small batch rum.  

Q: Do you offer tours at the distillery? If so, are reservations recommended or required? 

We offer tours and require reservations.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about what a customer will experience when they arrive at your distillery?

We enjoy our tours probably more than our patrons.  It is our opportunity to tell our brand story, show our ingredient-to-glass process and always have great interactions/questions from visitors. 

We are about 45 minutes from Corpus Christi, 20 minutes from outstanding saltwater fishing in the Baffin Bay, and we sit right in the middle of the best whitetail deer, bird and nilgai hunting in the world—the only thing separating our facilities from the King Ranch is their fence.  

Finally, we are about 20 minutes from the world-renowned Kings Inn seafood restaurant that is frequently visited by prominent Texans from US Presidents like George Bush to the Country Music legends like George Strait.

We often tell people to remember us when they visit Corpus Christi, the beach in Port Aransas or traveling through to the Rio Grande Valley.  Adding an afternoon to visit us and enjoy some of the other activities we outlined above makes for a great addition to vacation.

Q: You also have a tasting room, do you only offer tasting of your rums or do you also serve cocktails made with other products?

We offer tastings of our rums.  One unique aspect of visiting our distillery is you’ll generally have a few different rums we are working on, but have not released to restaurants, bars, and liquor stores.  You’ll have the opportunity to speak with one of the founders of the distillery on your tour.

Q: Do you have a particular cocktail on your menu that is your favorite and if so, why?

We do not serve cocktails at our distillery, however, our bartenders and consumers consistently highlight the following:

  • Texas Rum – Old Fashioned 
  • Gold Rum – Texas Tea, our Gold rum with a splash of tea (peach tea optional) over ice
  • White Rum – mixed with any traditional rum drink to provide a full-bodied texture to your drink with a creamy, smooth finish. While this will be one of the smoothest 80 proof spirits you try, the creamy finish has been the most prominent characteristics that our consumers say they like the most about this spirit when mixed in their favorite rum-based cocktails.

Q: If people want to contact you, how may they reach you? 

james@wildhorsedistillery.comPh: (361) 522-1222Facebook Page: @Wild Horse Distillery

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Our Ingredient-to-Glass Process:

  • The southern area of the Wild Horse Desert, Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, grows and processes more than 1.5 million tons of sugar cane annually.
  • The Wild Horse Desert is rich with agriculture production allowing us to source almost all of our ingredients within a 100-mile radius of our Distillery.  In all cases, all of our ingredients are Texas-grown.
  • The Goliad Sands Aquifer has been the lifeblood of the farm and ranch industry in our region, it also contains a unique mineral profile that offers distinct flavor characteristics to our products.
  • Our Master Distiller, James Warren, has experimented with hundreds of recipes and various techniques to develop our spirits products, all the while, keeping a keen eye towards our mission of fermentation-to-bottling production and locally sourced ingredients.
  • All of our products are produced as a single batch, single still production.  From fermentation to bottling, each step is performed in our distillery.
  • Within our distillation process, we offer a generous and quality “Texas Cut,” allowing our heads to run a bit longer and our tails to be cut early with a mission to produce the highest quality product available.
  • Our rum products are triple filtered prior to bottling.
  • A special finishing process is required to produce our halo rum product, Texas Rum.  We finish this in charred American Oak barrels together with mesquite wood staves until we reach the taste profile that has given this product its unofficial moniker as “a whiskey drinker’s rum.”
  • All of our products are bottled and labeled in our facility.  Each bottle is labeled with batch number, year of production, and bottle number.
  • We complement our ingredient-to-glass process with meticulous still production monitoring and hand-crafted finishing of our more complex spirits to bring you the best, distinct spirits the state of Texas has to offer.

Margaret: Again James, thank you so much for this opportunity and I wish you and your entire team all the best!

Cheers!

Margaret Ayala

Publisher of “Got Rum?”