CJS Beverage LLC, doing business as Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons, announced that it has named John Scarborough to the post of CEO, having raised $10.5 million in new equity funding from private equity and family office investors.  

Scarborough has an extensive background in the spirits industry, including recent positions as a board director at Still Austin Whiskey; CEO at Ranch Rider Spirits; and President at Deep Eddy Vodka, where he led the brand’s expansion to more than 1.4 million cases. 

Over the course of 2024, Scarborough served as a senior advisor to outgoing CEO Alice Peterson to develop Pinhook’s growth strategy and raise the capital to support it.  Under his leadership, Pinhook will significantly expand the sales and marketing teams and increase investment in distribution and consumer engagement.

“From my first introduction, I could see that the Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons brands were special,” Scarborough said in a news release. “The team’s passion and the massive opportunity to introduce both brands to new consumers made me want to be a part of the journey. I am thrilled to be named CEO and help CJS reach its full potential.”

“After working with John during the last year, I’ve become increasingly convinced he has the ideal experience and insight to help us take the next step as a company,” Peterson, who has moved into an executive chair role at CJS Beverage and will continue to support the long-term strategic direction of both Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons, said. “This is a milestone that affirms and strengthens Pinhook’s position as the craft American whiskey brand valued for its quality, distinctiveness, and accessibility.

Sean Josephs, CJS co-founder and master blender, credits Peterson with helping Pinhook Bourbon grow from its humble beginnings of three friends and 20 barrels worth of bourbon in 2010 to the industry disruptor it has become.

“We couldn’t have built Pinhook Bourbon or this company without Alice’s strategic vision and dedication. While we all knew we had something special to offer the market, Alice’s leadership has helped establish Pinhook Bourbon as important parts of the American Whiskey landscape,” Josephs said. “We are excited to have John on board to lead the company in this next growth trajectory,” he added.

Read more: Top 100 American Whiskeys of 2024 Ranked

About CJS Beverage, LLC

CJS Beverage LLC, doing business as Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons, was established by three founders with a passion for American whiskey. The company produces its bourbons and rye whiskeys in Kentucky and currently operates in about half of the U.S. states.  Both Pinhook Bourbon and Rye & Sons are built upon an innovative vintage approach to whiskey-making: releasing whiskies in singular annual vintages blended from that year’s mature barrels. This uniquely modern approach results in the best—not the same—whiskey every year. For more information about the company, visit www.pinhookbourbon.com.