Iron Smoke Distillery celebrates 15 years, secures its future with purchase of 20,000 s/f facility
Fairport, NY Iron Smoke Distillery is marking its 15th anniversary with a major investment in its longtime home and the launch of a limited-edition collection of aged whiskeys.
On Oct. 1, Iron Smoke purchased its 20,000 s/f facility at 111 Parce Ave., transitioning from tenant to property owner after more than a decade at the location. The acquisition is part of a $3 million investment that includes planned renovations to modernize the manufacturing space and increase production capacity. The project will retain 18 existing jobs and create six new positions as operations expand.
Woods Oviatt Gilman and Colliers assisted Iron Smoke with the property acquisition.
Iron Smoke will debut the 10-year bourbon during its 15th-anniversary celebration at its facility on Oct. 28.
“When we started Iron Smoke fifteen years ago, we set out to build something different – a whiskey brand with real character and a place our community could be proud of,” said Tommy Brunett, CEO and co-founder. “Today, we’re buying the building we call home, releasing some of our finest whiskeys yet, and continuing to push the boundaries. This business isn’t for the faint of heart, but with an extraordinary team, incredible partners, and a whole lot of unfinished business, we’re not resting on our laurels. We’re just getting warmed up.”
Founded in 2011, Iron Smoke established its local distillery in 2014, helping bring new activity to a largely underutilized portion of the former American Can manufacturing complex. The surrounding neighborhood has since experienced significant redevelopment, including the neighboring property now known as The Cannery, home to restaurants, entertainment venues, shops and other businesses.
“When Iron Smoke first opened in Fairport, this area looked very different,” said Johnna McCooey, executive director of the Fairport Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED). “Their decision to establish operations here helped bring new activity to the area and contributed to the momentum for redevelopment that followed. We’ve valued our longstanding partnership with Iron Smoke, and we’re pleased to see them continue investing in the Village of Fairport.”
“Fairport has been our partner since we found ourselves looking at the American Can space back in 2013, when we decided to build out a proper distillery,” said Stephen Brown, co-founder of Iron Smoke. “They helped us get started back when there wasn’t even a paved road leading to our facility.”
The investment comes during a challenging period for the craft spirits industry, as changing consumer habits put pressure on distilleries nationwide. Iron Smoke credits early adjustments to its operations with helping the company navigate those challenges and position itself for future growth.
“We recognized the shifting tides in our industry early and took deliberate action,” said Ron Kirshner, co-owner, chief operating officer and controller of Iron Smoke. “By applying lean manufacturing principles and simplifying our operations, we significantly reduced our burn rate. Those decisions put us in a position to pursue major opportunities, including the purchase of our facility, even in a challenging market.”
“Iron Smoke’s decision to purchase its facility and expand production further strengthens the Greater Rochester, NY, region’s beverage manufacturing industry,” said Matt Hurlbutt, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise. “We’re pleased to see a longtime, world-class craft distillery continue to invest in Fairport and plan for future growth.”
Iron Smoke is also marking its 15th anniversary with the Barrel House Collection, a limited-edition, three-bottle series curated for whiskey enthusiasts and collectors. The collection features a 5-year maple-finished bourbon whiskey, an 8-year aged double-oaked, and a 10-year aged straight bourbon whiskey. The oldest of the three was something of an unexpected discovery:
“Our master distiller was moving barrels around in the rickhouse and found some absolutely fantastic 10-year-old bourbon,” said Tommy Brunett, CEO and co-founder of Iron Smoke. “You never know what magic you may find at our place!”