Fireball is a well-known whiskey, beloved by consumers across the globe. As Chima Burey tried some with his friends for the first time, it sparked an interesting conversation that would soon bloom into a business idea.
If you could make your own flavored whiskey, what would it be?
As answers filtered their way into the friendly discussion, Burey’s answer stuck with him a lot longer than just the rest of the night. “I said I would create something that was reminiscent of Werther’s Original or a Sugar Babies candy,” he says.
Years later, Burey left New York for Florida. “My friend Amani had just left his career in investment banking, and we were talking about things that we were going to do or the next possibilities, and I told him about my whiskey idea,” Burey reminisces.
At that time, Jack Daniel’s had just launched Tennessee Honey, which was wildly successful. Crown Royal had also just debuted Crown Apple, which was another fruitful venture.
“We wanted to put our own twist into something and create a special product,” Burey continues. “So we spoke to a few distilleries, settled on one, and now we’ve won 16 plus International Spirit Awards.”
Duke & Dame Salted Caramel Whiskey
Amani Macaulay and Chima Burey launched Duke & Dake Salted Caramel Whiskey in 2018. As co-founders of the whiskey brand, they both wanted to give consumers that sense of nostalgia without compromising quality. And it certainly paid off.
In addition to the International Spirit Awards, Duke & Dame has also won three SIP Awards. The whiskey is a blend between aged bourbon, corn whiskies and natural salted caramel ─ all with only one gram of sugar per serving.
Neither Macaulay nor Burey had experience in the beverage alcohol industry prior to Duke & Dame ─ this was a completely new endeavor for them both.
“Chima and I were just drinking buddies,” says Macaulay. “So, we were looking forward to this new adventure and new challenge to build a business in this space that we really had no background in.”
Without prior knowledge of the beverage alcohol industry, both Macaulay and Burey made sure to do extensive research and connect with others who knew the ropes. “We wanted to know all the challenges that we might be faced with and just to get some advice on the industry, as well,” Macaulay notes.
All You Need is One
Duke & Dame is proof that hard work can bring you success, even without prior knowledge in a specific industry. “We figured that if we took the same work ethic and approach that we did with our previous careers in finance and just apply that same diligence, we could be successful. And we really had to lean on that desire to learn from those who had done it,” says Burey.
Making connections in the industry and taking advantage of different resources helped both Macaulay and Burey to prepare for the challenges that come with starting any business.
“One real challenge was finding the right partner to work with,” mentions Macaulay. “We ended up working with a local distillery down in South Florida. We got lucky to find one that made great whiskey and understood our vision.”
Another challenge that Macaulay and Burey ran into was figuring out how to market and distribute their new product. “We had sample bottles, but we weren’t on the shelf anywhere,” Macaulay notes. “We didn’t have a distributor yet to sell our whiskey to liquor stores, bars or restaurants. So we were just hoping to catch somebody’s attention.”
After sending sample bottles to different distributors throughout Central Florida, Duke & Dame received all no’s, except for one. “All you need is one, right? So that distributor helped us get into Total Wine, which is the largest independent liquor retailer in the country,” says Macaulay.
Soon after the Total Wine launch, Duke & Dame also made its way into ABC, which is another large retailer in Florida. While crafted and distributed in South Florida, whiskey enthusiasts can indulge in a shot in bars and restaurants in states such as Michigan and New York.
Liquid to Lips Reins Supreme
Both Macaulay and Burey continue Duke & Dame’s marketing efforts to spread the word of their salted caramel whiskey.
“Marketing is probably the biggest expenditure,” says Macaulay. “And even though you may be able to get the product on the shelf, you also need to be able to get it off the shelf by consumers.”
Liquid to lips marketing through in-store tastings and events has worked wonders for Duke & Dame. All consumers need to do is try the whiskey and they’re hooked.
“Digital marketing also helps to supplement experiential marketing,” explains Macaulay. “We’ve started doing more influencer marketing. For example, there are a lot of DJs around the country doing virtual sets, so we found local DJ influencers who became sponsors for us. That has been a successful approach, as well.”
Paying it Forward
After finding success with their brand with the help of industry veterans, both Macaulay and Burey want to pay it forward by helping others who are just getting started in beverage alcohol.
“We get approached by many new brands or start-ups who are having the same experiences that we initially had,” says Burey. “We really look forward to having those conversations and being a bridge to newer brands, helping them to avoid some of the pitfalls that we had.”
As the Duke & Dame brand continues to make an imprint across the industry, both Macaulay and Burey will continue to help newcomers so they can all grow together.
