Give Back this Holiday Season with These Philanthropic Spirits

Holiday feasts are often where we gather with loved ones and share the moments we were thankful for during the year. Maybe it was a big moment like a promotion at work or celebrating a milestone like buying a house. Perhaps you’re grateful for the simple moments of being able to spend time together with friends and family. It’s in this time of reflection that many of us count up the blessings we’ve been given and want to give back in some way — whether by donating to a good cause, volunteering, or paying it forward.

With that mindset, we wanted to share with you a few brands that are actively giving back this season, whether it’s on specific holiday-centric initiatives or through impactful giving throughout the year. From donating to charity to planting trees, these brands are making a spirited influence on our world.

As avid bourbon and single malt drinkers, it’s important to acknowledge the impact that barreling has on our climate. Many distillers are well aware of this impact and are already supporting or creating initiatives to plant trees to create a more carbon-neutral planet. Angel's Envy hosts a Toasts the Trees event every September, where they plant white oak trees for every post on social media using their hashtag. Through that initiative, they planted 65,584 trees to offset the bourbon-making process this year alone.

Noble Oak takes that same idea one step further: for every bottle purchased, they plant a tree. Since its inception, they have planted over 200,000 trees in partnership with One Tree Planted. The fantastic part of their mission is that they plant trees with local arborists who know precisely what the community needs, avoiding invasive species and improving neighborhoods across the United States.

Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley of Brother’s Bond Bourbon may have risen to fame through Vampire Diaries, but it is their commitment to reversing climate change that truly inspires us. Their goal to support regenerative farming practices means that they work together with farmers to sustain the soil and plants while also using technology and science to improve them. With the brand purchasing its first regenerative grains that will go into future mash bills, they are one step closer to creating a better environment while also improving the livelihoods of farmers. We can certainly raise a glass to that!

Major distillers like Buffalo Trace and Wild Turkey are also endeavoring to give back to communities. Wild Turkey, a perennial Thanksgiving favorite, has teamed up with actor Matthew McConaughey to celebrate the local legends across the United States who kept the music alive this year. Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace continues its tradition of giving back to local charities in Kentucky through their Contribution to the Community program, recently donating $80,000 to multiple charities during a reception honoring their work.

American whiskey brands are not the only ones looking to give back. Beam Suntory, makers of Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, recently announced their Peatland Water Sanctuary™ initiative. Through this program, they are partnering with both the James Hutton Institute and Forestry and Land Scotland to restore and conserve the peatlands that are an integral part of whisky. While they don’t have a specific percentage or dollar donation tied to the bottle, their single malts make delicious pairings to fall menus, and you’ll feel good knowing that your purchase helps them restore native peatlands.

Conservation is an important topic throughout the spirits industry, which is good given that some of our favorite gins would not be possible without nature! Gray Whale stands out in the gin category, not only because of its botanicals that are forged along the migratory route of the California Gray Whale, but also because they donate a minimum of 1% of their annual profits to environmental causes, like marine conservationists, Oceana. Moreover, they upcycle their bottles into candles, a perfect addition to any tablescape.

As pollinator lovers, Caledonia Spirits is one of our favorites in the category. Not only are they producing their Barr Hill Vodka and Gin with raw honey, which is a unique concept in itself, but they are actively restoring pollinator spaces during their Bee’s Knees Week. Although this initiative is typically in September, it’s worth noting that they raised enough funding to commit 4.5 acres to pollinator habitats this year. Adding their spirits to your holiday feast is a fantastic way to work together to save the bees.

The Community Spirit Vodka was created with the idea that they choose people over everything. While their vodka is delicious by itself, the producers decided to use their brand power to support various causes, ranging from their recent partnership with Marriott to house displaced Hurricane Ida victims to spotlighting industry issues with their Serving Facts series. As a brand new vodka brand, they’re already making waves by directly impacting local communities. We’ll toast to that!

Award-winning 818 Tequila, founded by celebrity Kendall Jenner, partnered with local nonprofits in Jalisco to donate their innovative bricks made from the byproducts of agave spirits. These bricks will be utilized to provide housing for families in need and have already been implemented to help complete a new hospital in the community. But, their commitment to giving back doesn’t stop there — they also donate 1% of their profits to environmental nonprofits, use sustainable packaging through partnerships with industry leaders, and are in progress to earn their B Corp Certification.

Harlem native Joe Cruz Jr. founded YaVe Tequila with the mission of giving the next generation the keys they need to succeed in life. What’s incredible about his story is that he has remained quiet on the brand’s charitable giving, opting to support initiatives like The Fridge Girls and World Central Kitchen without much fanfare on the website or social media. However, those collaborations with local communities are a driving force behind the brand, with the brand working alongside young entrepreneurs to help them get started in the industry.

Tequila powerhouse Jose Cuervo recently launched the Jose Cuervo Agave Straw as part of their sustainability arm, The Agave Project. Through this initiative, they are creating biodegradable straws made from recycled Jose Cuervo agave fiber. The production process is also sustainable, replacing around a third of the polymers typically used in plastic straw production. This isn’t the first time the brand has stepped into innovative agave recycling projects: they also made a surfboard in collaboration with shaper Gary Linden, Fender Stratocaster from Senior Master Builder Paul Waller, and car parts (yes, you read that correctly) from the agave plant. Jose Cuervo is truly dedicated to using its brand power to advance sustainable projects.

While there are many other brands with philanthropic backings, we hope you can savor every sip from these spirits that give back. We can’t think of a better way to toast to the things we’re thankful for with a cocktail made from one of these philanthropy-minded and minority-owned brands!