Manager, Single Barrel Experience

POSITION SUMMARY

The Manager, Single Barrel Experience will lead the continued development and day-to-day execution of Castle & Key's signature single barrel and private client experience program. This role combines commercial awareness, exceptional hospitality, bourbon knowledge, relationship building, and strong operational follow-through.

The Manager will guide the customer journey from invitation and barrel selection through bottling, delivery, and ongoing relationship development. Working across Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, R&D, Operations, Logistics, Finance, and Leadership, this role will help grow the program while maintaining the quality, exclusivity, and personal nature of the Castle & Key experience.

This is a highly visible role and an important ambassador for Castle & Key. The ideal candidate is collaborative, entrepreneurial, commercially minded, and comfortable balancing the customer experience with the operational details required to deliver it consistently.

OPERATIONS & PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

• Own the day-to-day coordination and execution of the Single Barrel Experience program, including customer commitments, timelines, barrel availability, selections, bottling, labeling, fulfillment, and delivery.

• Maintain accurate program records and ensure processes, checklists, communication standards, and tools support consistent execution.

• Coordinate with R&D, Distilling, Sensory, Warehousing, Bottling, Quality, Compliance, Finance, and Logistics to move selections and orders efficiently through the process.

• Monitor program capacity and identify operational challenges, opportunities for efficiency, and process improvements.

• Develop and maintain the program operating playbook, including clear roles, timelines, and cross-functional handoffs.

• Ensure the program's operational execution supports a high-quality customer experience.

PROGRAM GROWTH & COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

• Lead the continued development and growth of the Single Barrel Experience program as a differentiated, premium offering.

• Develop plans for customer engagement, barrel allocation, pricing, revenue, expenses, capacity, and program growth in partnership with leadership and cross-functional teams.

• Build and maintain relationships with private clients, trade partners, corporate groups, bourbon clubs, collectors, and other key customers.

• Manage prospective customers through qualification, proposal, deposit, barrel selection, and final purchase in partnership with Sales and distributor partners.

• Monitor pipeline, conversion, barrels sold, revenue, margin, repeat activity, and other key program metrics.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE & BRAND

• Lead memorable barrel selection experiences that are educational, engaging, personal, and reflective of the Castle & Key brand.

• Maintain service standards and experience offerings appropriate for a premium, invitation-led program.

• Anticipate and coordinate customer needs, including travel, lodging, transportation, dietary needs, special occasions, and guest preferences.

• Continue customer engagement through bottling updates, delivery, launch support, future invitations, and ongoing relationship development.

• Partner with Marketing and creative teams on certificates, custom labels, storytelling, photography, selection materials, packaging, and other customer touchpoints.

EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS & INTERNAL COLLABORATION

• Develop relationships with Kentucky's luxury hospitality, culinary, travel, equestrian, retail, restaurant, and experiential partners.

• Identify partnerships, events, and other opportunities that strengthen the customer experience, create demand, and support program growth.

• Support trade-account activation through education, tastings, content, photography, point-of-sale support, and hosted events.

• Serve as a key connection point between customers and internal teams, ensuring commitments, timelines, and expectations are clearly communicated and delivered.

• Build strong partnerships across Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, R&D, Operations, Logistics, Finance, and Leadership.

• Bring teams together around shared goals and help resolve obstacles that could impact the customer experience.

INITIAL PRIORITIES

• Refine and implement the Single Barrel Experience strategy, including the customer journey, experience offerings, pricing, barrel economics, calendar, and sales approach.

• Establish consistent standards and processes for the barrel selection experience.

• Build the operating playbook and strengthen cross-functional roles, communication, and handoffs.

• Strengthen the customer and trade pipeline and begin converting qualified opportunities.

• Establish a seamless process for buyer communication, labeling, bottling, fulfillment, and post-purchase relationship management.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of experience in bourbon/spirits, luxury hospitality, private-client services, experiential sales, premium brands, events, or a related field.

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, develop business opportunities, and manage high-value customer experiences.

• Strong business judgment and comfort with pricing, budgets, forecasting, performance metrics, and program economics.

• Exceptional hospitality instincts, discretion, presence, and communication skills.

• Strong project-management skills and ability to coordinate multiple teams, partners, deadlines, and customer-specific details.

• Working knowledge of bourbon, rye, barrel maturation, sensory evaluation, and the spirits industry preferred.

• Existing relationships within Kentucky bourbon, luxury hospitality, travel, culinary, equestrian, or private-client networks are valuable but not required.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

WORKING REQUIREMENTS

This role requires regular on-site presence at Castle & Key Distillery; participation in guest experiences; evening, weekend, and race-day availability as needed; regular travel within Kentucky and periodic national travel.

The position requires the ability to taste and evaluate spirits responsibly in accordance with company policy and applicable law.