Bringing the spirit of the Lowcountry to life through bold ideas, distinctive spirits and an extraordinary destination.

The Dream

Billy and Sean Watterson were never short on ideas. The brothers imagined a distillery that would capture the character, creativity, and community of South Carolina’s Lowcountry, without looking or feeling like anyone else’s.

Their ambition went beyond a single spirit. They wanted a destination and a collection of brands with distinct personalities, all connected by an authentic regional identity. The brothers brought entrepreneurial drive and imaginative ideas; the challenge was to turn that creativity into a cohesive spirits business.

The Decision

Entering a new industry required careful choices about investment, production capabilities, brand architecture and market introduction. The Wattersons partnered with Thoroughbred to create the strategy and financial foundation for an ambitious development.

The team needed to bring nine individual brands together under the Burnt Church umbrella without losing what made each one distinctive. The objective was to support the brothers’ originality with the discipline necessary to execute it.

The Journey

Thoroughbred supported strategic planning, brand development, packaging design, equipment sizing, liquid development, route-to-market and general advisory. The work included both alcoholic and non-alcoholic spirits.

Creating original liquids meant sourcing unusual ingredients, including rice for whiskey, developing mash bills and testing batches against the intended taste experience. The $14 million development also faced the extraordinary challenge of opening and operating during a global pandemic.

Throughout, the focus remained on connecting a diverse portfolio and a distinctive physical destination to one clear business vision.

The Legacy

Burnt Church Distillery completed its distillery campus and was enthusiastically welcomed by its community. The Wattersons have created a destination and portfolio that express their vision of the Lowcountry in an unmistakably personal way.

Billy and Sean never set out to build an ordinary distillery. Spend a little time at Burnt Church, and you can see how personally they took that ambition.

How the Vision Came to Life

Decision Framework

• Strategic Planning & Financial Forecasting
• Portfolio Architecture
• Production & Equipment Planning

Execution

• Liquid Development & Formulation
• Brand & Packaging Design
• Route-to-Market & Operational Advisory

What Exists Today

• Completed $14 million distillery development
• Nine distinctive brands
• Distillery launched and operated through the pandemic