The Story of a New Craft Spirit Company in Palm Springs
In the past year or so, I’ve been off the air for several reasons — business and writing commitments, Covid, and most important, moving from NYC to Rancho Mirage CA. That’s in Coachella Valley, aka Greater Palm Springs, aka The Desert.
Now I’m back and at it. And what does a transplanted New Yorker and booze business writer/observer do? Looks for places to eat and drink (restaurants and bars here are top notch) and entrepreneurs in the Booze Business.
Meet the Owners of Racquet Club Spirits
From Palm Springs Life magazine: “The spirit of individuality and fun from the historic Racquet Club spur a desert couple to create a new Palm Springs-inspired liquor brand. A marketing director and commercial producer together for more than 30 years, Movie Colony couple Brian Harke and Matthew Winks have spun their passion for cocktails into a new line of Palm Springs-inspired spirits, Racquet Club Spirits.”
Racquet Club Spirits is an LGBTQ+ owned company, and producers of Racquet Club Vodka and Racquet Club Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Two truly outstanding products in my view.
The owners, Brian and Matthew, come from outside the Booze Business world but have quickly learned the business and what it takes to succeed. Brian was a marketing director, and Matthew was a TV commercial producer. They used their creative background to work on the classic bottle design with a vintage label.
Their brand launch announcement described their effort this way:
“Racquet Club Spirits celebrates the style and swagger of Palm Springs Racquet Club, a desert oasis that became Hollywood’s legendary playground. The Vodka and Straight Bourbon Whiskey are hand crafted in small batches to ensure that every classic cocktail lives up to their namesake: the exclusive Racquet Club, where movie stars went to escape.”
About the Racquet Club
Coachella Valley and Palm Springs is known for its midcentury architecture, outdoor leisure and history of attracting Hollywood celebrities.
In fact, when we first moved out here, we were thrilled and amused by many of the street names throughout the valley: Dinah Shore Drive, Kirk Douglas Way, Frank Sinatra Drive, Fred Waring Way, Gene Autry Trail, and so on. It’s a fun place to live. (But don’t ask me about the heat.)
In an interview in Palm Springs Life, Matthew described the environs this way:
“Palm Springs is similar to Las Vegas in that for years and years, people have come here to escape. The Racquet Club was certainly part of that because movie stars felt comfortable going and hanging out there. It was beyond the studio zone in the old days of Hollywood, so they were allowed to let loose. That spirit of individuality and fun really connected to us and our vibe.”
In my view, the inspiration of the Palm Springs area, especially its history, sends a message to consumers that this brand is fun, special, and transfers those attitudes to the drinking occasion.
The Racquet Club was founded in 1934 by actors Ralph Bellamy and Charlie Farrell so they would always have a court to play in. It served as a gathering place and party venue for much of Hollywood’s show business elite and quickly became the party spot for Hollywood royalty including Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Elizabeth Taylor, Errol Flynn, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Natalie Wood, and Robert Wagner who were regular guests. Marilyn Monroe is said to have been discovered there.
The Products![]()
The tradition and lifestyle of the Racquet Club and Palm Springs drove their business proposition — laid back, easy-going, and as they put it, laden with style and swagger. The packaging certainly reflect this with the non-traditional label and more importantly the retro look.
While they do not distill themselves, they have worked very closely with distillers to manufacture products to their vision. Namely products that taste good and makes drinkers feel the Palm Spring vibe.
Their mandate for the vodka was that it had to have notes of vanilla with a soft nonmedicinal aroma or mouthfeel, and fruit over notes. In addition, it is filtered 7 times using a carbon with all-natural carbon originating from coconut husks. Palm Springs all the way.
The distiller is Dry Diggings Distillery, El Dorado Hills, CA. It sells for roughly $32.99 and is 80 proof (40 AbV).
The bourbon is made by Midwest Grain Products (MGP), again with Brian and Matthew’s oversight. I found it very gentle and easy to drink straight yet held up and complimented my favorite cocktail. Again, it’s got a bit of fruitiness and is well balanced, so it lends itself to mixology. There’s a bit of caramel and vanilla with some chocolate notes in there.
It’s 84 proof (42 AbV) and sells for about $42.99.
Both products are available all over the Palm Springs area in top bars and restaurants and in such off-premise accounts like Total Wine and More, Mirage Wine & Liquor, and other leading independents in the valley, and online at Mash and Grape.
The vodka has won several awards including a silver award from the NY World Wine and Spirits competition. The bourbon has received two double gold awards from the Sip Awards and the San Diego Spirits Festival.
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If you’ve been a follower of this blog, you know that I appreciate startup entrepreneurs who change their work lives and enter the alcohol industry. In Brian and Matthew’s case, I especially admire their vision and their hard work to bring it to fruition. When I spoke with them recently, I was struck by their passion and drive, which was very palpable.
Welcome to the Booze Business gentlemen.
