The Story

Matt and Chris started UpEnd Distilling in 2018 to produce well-crafted spirits with bold and relatable flavor profiles.

The story began several years earlier when they met while working together in finance in Westchester County. Their friendship quickly grew over a shared interest in craft spirits. For both, this interest developed directly from their families.

Matt’s inspiration came from home brewing, shared negronis with his father, and his family’s home in the middle of the Long Island wine country. Chris found inspiration from his grandfather who was a distributor sales rep covering the Hudson Valley. His home was always filled with promotional liquor items and his bar was always stocked with spirits of all types.

With a common passion, Matt and Chris often met after work to sample various whiskeys and beers. Eventually, Chris introduced gin, a family favorite, into the rotation. Matt, who’s appreciation for the spirit at that point largely centered on its role as an ingredient in a negroni, soon became a fan of the various nuances of each gin expression.

This was the genesis of UpEnd. They realized the opportunity to upend an individual’s perception of a spirit through a new experience. So, they began the journey by producing two very different takes on gin, both with approachable and identifiable flavor profiles, that can redefine how gin is viewed.

Matt and Chris also want to proudly represent New York, where they were both born and raised. UpEnd reflects the diversity of the state. From UPstate to the East END of Long Island, New York is a bold combination of agriculture and nature meets industry and city. As UpEnd grows, they plan on putting more of that into each bottle.

Experimentation is everything; so sip it, mix it, but most of all enjoy it responsibly.

UpEnd your perception of gin. We say, it’s not where you start, it’s where you EndUp.