Spiritual Mothers: Nicole Young Celebrates Two Successful Years of Frisky Whiskey
Written by Eric Renner Brown on June 2, 2024
Since first introducing her highly-rated flavored whisky brand Frisky Whiskey in 2022, CEO and co-founder Nicole Young has been busy extending her reach. Frisky Whiskey‘s recipe of 100% premium whiskey accented with pure caramel and natural vanilla, which creates an ultra-smooth and extremely palatable taste at 70 proof, has made the brand one of the fastest-growing in the spirits industry.
As the first Black woman to own a flavored whiskey brand, Young has learned that the liquor industry can be a challenging one. “It’s no walk in the park and not something I entered into without much consideration, but the opportunity to blaze a trail for Black women in the industry and specifically in the ever-popular flavored whiskey space was an opportunity I just could not let pass me by,” she declares to EBONY.
Here’s how the whiskey queen continues to grow her brand and “balance” it with motherhood.
EBONY: You launched your brand two years ago. What has been your secret to success over the last 24 months?
Nicole Young: As a recipe developer and a believer that natural always tastes better, launching a flavored whiskey that not only tastes like nothing else in the space but was created with nothing but natural flavoring felt right for me. Having an experienced business partner and startup capital were huge deciding factors in starting in the first place.
How has the company grown and evolved?
I am extremely proud of what Team Frisky has accomplished in the past tw years. Not only has Frisky’s footprint expanded beyond the initial test markets and is now available in eight states (New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan and Texas), Frisky can now be found on the shelves at major retailers including Meijer, Total Wine and Rouses.
How has your mission statement influenced you over the past two years?
Our goal has been to deliver flavor, flair and fun in every sip. We pride ourselves on being a whiskey for everyone by delivering a palatable and welcoming gateway for non-whiskey drinkers while also providing a whimsical departure for whiskey purists. It’s something no other flavored whiskey has ever been able to do.
Why is it so important for Black women to be in the spirits business?
It is very important for Black women to not only have representation in the spirits business but solid opportunities for ownership. Black women have been impacting the wine and spirits industry for years, but aside from the sprinkling of celebrity endorsements, we have had very little representation on the ownership side. Our spending capability is something that global spirits brands have successfully tapped into so our chance to build our own brands is long overdue.
How have you balanced motherhood with entrepreneurship?
“Balance” is a very strong word and one that I am not 100% comfortable using to describe the juggle and the struggle of mompreneurship. Motherhood is my most important job, and my son’s needs are always my top priority. With that said, the work doesn’t do itself; my businesses demand both my physical presence and my mental focus, so it can be extremely challenging to achieve “balance.” I can offer this authentic advice: make sure you have a capable, experienced and efficient team of people working with you (which I’m extremely blessed to have) and download a reliable scheduling app and use it!
What is the best way for you, as a busy mom, to relax?
A strong workout followed by a deep tissue massage is my favorite way to relax. The workout clears my mind and the massage relieves the stress in my body. That for me is a win-win!
What is upcoming for Frisky Whisley in the future?
The goal is to grow Frisky Whiskey into a national brand with distribution in every state, and we are thrilled to be on that path!
