Freeland Blog

Women's History is one of our favorite times of year here at Freeland! At our tasting room in Portland, OR, we embraced the spirit of empowerment and recognition by calling upon our our talented and creative associates to craft a cocktail special inspired by a particular flower.

It is undeniable that representation matters. Whether it’s in STEM, in the courtroom, or in the distillery, marginalized groups benefit when familiar faces are present. As someone who has benefited from such exposure, the amount of hope it can give someone, of a trail already blazed, is paramount. When I hear the stories of the women who came before me, their struggles and similarities, I know I am not alone. The same experience is felt by people of color, seeing distilleries and brands succeed in a landscape that historically is unfriendly to anyone who is not a white male. There are more distilleries than ever before that are owned by women and/or people of color in the United States, but these distilleries still represent just a fraction of the brands in the marketplace. For Black History Month, we are highlighting a few black-owned spirits brands that we admire.

"Did you know that Black people and spirit-making have a long and intertwined history, tracing back to precolonial Africa?" Read about the history and impact of Black figures in the spirits industry in this captivating think-piece by Kendra Purifoye.