Challenge

Introduce Castle & Key—a new brand for an iconic, long-abandoned Kentucky distillery—as a modern spirits destination rooted in history, with a new portfolio spanning gin, vodka, bourbon, and rye.

Conviction

By honoring the site’s legacy while spotlighting what made it new—locally sourced ingredients, a distinctive approach to distilling, and a glass-ceiling-breaking female master distiller—Castle & Key could usher in a new era for bourbon country.

Approach

Catamaran led a highly curated launch strategy built on meticulous storytelling, targeted media pre-briefs, and an immersive tasting tour—making Castle & Key’s reopening one of the most talked-about moments in Kentucky spirits. Post-launch, a sustained news engine kept the brand in the spotlight as it prepared to release its first brown spirit.

Results

National and regional earned media positioned Castle & Key as both a revival and a reinvention—establishing it as a must-watch name in modern American distilling.