Buy This: Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.
A few notes from a tired entrepreneur
15 years ago I was managing a restaurant in Louisville, KY and decided to start making tonic. This was amid a nationwide cocktail boom that unfolded over the next decade.
Customers were curious about new products, open to exploring smaller, boutique spirits, and excited to expand their palates. Looking back, it was quite a magical time in the food and beverage industry. It resulted in an almost universally elevated standard in bars across America, and now you can get a well-made Old Fashioned or Negroni from Kalamazoo to Poughkeepsie.
Amid this excitement, I noticed the selection and quality of spirits outweighed the category of mixers available to blend them with them. The mixer category, owned by behemoths like Schweppes, was woefully stagnant. I assumed if our customers were willing to pay an up-charge to try a new Gin or Bourbon (they were), they might be willing to do the same with their mixer, resulting in a better drink than what had been available only a few years before.
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. was founded on this premise. The company was named after my great-grandfather, a pilot and engineer from a different era. He was known to be a man who appreciated good food and drink and entertained friends at his home with my great-grandmother, who we called “Nonnie.” His picture is on the side of every product.
We launched with Tonic Syrup, a versatile mixer combined with Gin and Soda Water for a first-class G&T. As a syrup and not a carbonated mixer, it provides versatility to the home bar enthusiast. Depending on your taste, the serving size can be tweaked for a more robust Tonic flavor, or reduced for a leaner, booze-forward cocktail.
Over the years we’ve successfully expanded to include bar tools, garnishes, and a small selection of pantry items in our Jack Rudy Kitchen range.
We have a best-in-class Margarita Mix, made with real agave nectar just as called for in a Tommy’s Margarita, the best margarita recipe in the solar system. It’s the closest mix you will find to making them fresh, with freshly squeezed lime juice.
Our Bloody Mary Mix, inspired by the bright, imminently drinkable option from Prune in NYC, is as good as a Bloody Mary gets.
We offer a punchy and delicious Olive Brine, the best for making a Dirty Martini. It’s a favorite of home bartenders and countless restaurants and bars.
Our Sweet Tea Syrup, a uniquely Southern mixer, has won many fans.
At Little Jack’s we combine it with Bourbon and Lemon Juice for a frozen drink we call the “Porch Torch.” At Leon’s, it’s mixed with vodka, fresh lemon, and our Lavender Bitters for a house favorite: the “Daytripper.”
Our beloved Tonic Syrup, ideal for the Frozen G&T I serve at Leon’s in Charleston, has been joined by our newest release: 7.5-ounce cans of Tonic Water, for someone looking for a pop-and-pour solution.
There is no denying it: they look great on a home bar.
Our commitment to the product has been unwavering since day one. We take our time to get things right. This fall we will debut our newest product, years in the making: Old Fashioned Syrup. As a Kentuckian, it was essential to nail it.
As a thank you for being here, I’m extending a 15% discount to my subscribers through next week. Just use the code ‘brooks15’ at checkout.
Bottoms up,
Brooks
your olive brine is a staple at my house. I love freezing it into ice cubes and even adding a splash to a vodka soda to make that "dirty."
I first experienced your tonic at FIG and we’ve never looked back. And our annual trips to Charleston en route to/from Pawley’s always include Leon’s and often a table from Landrum’s. It’s all special and bespoke. Thank you!