Pernod Ricard to Buy Majority Interest in Skrewball Whiskey

Pernod Ricard USA agreed to buy a majority stake in Skrewball, the world’s first super-premium peanut butter flavored American whiskey. Terms weren't disclosed.

The brand surpassed the symbolic milestone of half a million nine-liter cases sold in 2022.

Flavored whiskeys appeal to a wide range of consumers, going beyond traditional whiskey lovers. It remains one of the fastest-growing spirits categories in the US, representing a quarter of the overall whiskey sales in the world-leading market. Skrewball tastes great when consumed straight or on the rocks, Pernod Ricard said, it also shines in premium craft cocktails and has quickly become a favorite with bartenders and mixologists across the U.S.

Skrewball was launched in 2018 by husband and wife, Steven and Brittany Yeng. Steven is a Cambodian refugee and polio survivor who, by a random act of kindness, was sponsored to come to the U.S. with his family. When they arrived, they were just skin and bones and would often receive care packages with filling, nutrient-dense foods including peanut butter for classic PB&J’s – a taste that Steven signifies as one of his first “taste of freedom.”

Brittany is a chemist, turned attorney, turned unlikely spirits brand owner. She has been one to watch as she took her small family-owned company that began with a creative shot in a popular San Diego bar and grew it into a national consumer favorite with an astonishing consumer retail growth rate of 1,976% in 2021 and became a Hollywood darling with fans like Amber Tamblyn, Questlove, Dave Grohl and Luke Bryan, as well as an international sensation with distribution in Canada and the Caribbean secured in just under three years – record time in the industry.

“Skrewball has proven its uniqueness and success with a large audience, so we are delighted to have this brand as part of our portfolio,” says Ann Mukherjee, Chairman/CEO of Pernod Ricard North America. “With a product that brings an iconic American flavor to the spirits world, Steven and Brittany have found a true point of difference in the category. We are looking forward to unlocking the magic of this brand and a successful journey ahead.”