Drake is a man of many passions: the city of Toronto, female comedians, his mother, strip clubs, and whiskey. In fact, he loves whiskey so much he made his own: Virginia Black. The drink has previously been confined to smoky clubs, the halls of liquors stores, or just plastered all over Drake’s Instagram. But Drake and his business partner Brent Hocking have announced today that they will be going public and accepting investments from those who wish to join them in their “vision to redefine whiskey.”
The offering will begin at the end of the first quarter of 2018, and those who wish to invest should register interest now. Shares are starting at $5 and the minimum investment is $100.
Virginia Black is the lovechild of Drake and Brent Hocking, an “acclaimed spirits producer and entrepreneur” who is “known for creating award-winning brands and bottle designs,” per a press release. Hocking describes Virginia Black as the “perfect combination of exceptionally good juice in exquisite packaging at an accessible price” and is “pleased” that millions of Americans will now have the opportunity to join the “Virginia Black family.”
When it comes to taste, Virginia Black is a “rich, decadent, smooth” aged Bourbon whiskey with a “decadent profile,” which are also probably all the words Drake would use to describe himself. But it’s not just talk: the whiskey has been well-received by experts and has also won numerous awards, including being voted among the top 5 spirits in 2016 by Wally’s Wine and top 100 spirits of 2017 by Wine Enthusiast with a 91 point rating. In flavor profile ratings, it supposedly surpasses famous whiskey brands like Jack Daniel’s, Jim Bean, and Maker’s Mark.
"Virginia Black leads us into exciting new territory where Main Street meets Wall Street, giving millions of fans worldwide the opportunity to be a part of Drake's success,” Mark Elenowitz, CEO of TriPoint, which will be the lead managing selling agent and book runner for the public offering.
