Old Cypress Whiskey Co. is a new boutique whiskey brand quietly making its way onto the radar. With only two releases so far—founder Joey Faciane is building something rooted in legacy, patience, and chef-level attention to detail.
We sat down with him to talk origins, philosophy, and what it takes to build a whiskey brand the hard way—and the right way.
Joey didn’t come up through the distilling world—he came up through kitchens. Long nights, hard work, and the camaraderie that comes with restaurant life set the tone for everything he creates today.
Whiskey, he says, was always the chef’s quiet “thank you”—passed around after service while everyone broke down the kitchen and cleaned equipment. It was a ritual, a reward, and eventually, the seed of something bigger.
After twenty years in restaurants, the birth of his daughter pushed him to make a life change. He stepped away from kitchens and began helping private groups with barrel selections, drawing on the same palate and intuition he’d used to build menus and pairings.
It didn’t take long for the idea of Old Cypress to form—slowly, deliberately, like the aging of great whiskey.
The name is more than branding. It’s personal.
Growing up in Louisiana, Joey was surrounded by cypress trees—symbols of the state’s landscape, history, and culture.
“No two trees grow the same,” he says. “Just like no two barrels will ever be the same. Cypress takes time to mature, and so does quality whiskey.”
The name honors where he’s from, the values he was raised with, and the legacy he wants to build.
Unlike many new NDPs, Old Cypress wasn’t launched with outside money or investors. Joey self-funded everything.
“No loans. No private backing. Legacy isn’t supposed to be easy to build.”
That commitment informs every step of the brand—from barrel selection to bottling to packaging. Every bottle that goes out has been physically filled, labeled, corked, and capped by Joey himself.
The first release—a single-barrel 11 year 4 month bourbon—set the tone: elegant, mature whiskey chosen not for hype, but for flavor.
Now, release number two is set to bring forward a series of 12 year 8 month ryes, each selected with the same boutique philosophy.
Two releases. No shortcuts. No compromises.
Old Cypress isn’t driven by age statements or proofs—it’s driven by taste.
Joey works with a private cooperage to create custom barrels unique to the brand. These barrels soften ethanol, boost clarity, and bring forward sweetness and depth that might be hidden in the original oak.
He samples across several mash bills and never selects based on statistics:
“If the flavor is there, it gets brought into the fold.”
This palate-forward mindset gives Old Cypress releases a recognizable signature: bold profiles, mature character, and layers that unfold with time.
Like many independent brands, the biggest early hurdle wasn’t creative—it was bureaucratic.
The TTB approval process dragged on, and seeing other new brands pop up while his barrels sat waiting was nerve-racking. But he learned the lesson he keeps returning to:
Patience.
Everything takes the time it takes.
And that patience shows in the whiskey.
Old Cypress isn’t trying to be the next nationwide powerhouse. In fact, Joey’s goal is the opposite.
He wants Old Cypress to remain small, selective, and defined by quality—not volume.
“There’s enough whiskey out there. What the market needs is honesty and craftsmanship.”
Releases will remain limited, available through the Old Cypress website and the Old Cypress Club Facebook group—where fans can track upcoming drops.
Short-term, Joey wants people to taste the whiskey. He knows new brands earn loyalty with the glass, not just storytelling.
Long-term, he wants Old Cypress to be a name associated with top-tier quality—a brand that’s difficult to get not because it’s hyped, but because the standards are that high.
A dream release? That depends on the day—his preferences shift with time. But the bottle would still wear the Old Cypress label. Maybe one day it’ll be accented in purple and gold with an LSU partnership, he jokes.
As for distilling:
Old Cypress will remain a boutique barrel-selection house. That’s the identity. That’s the lane.
If Joey has one wish for anyone pouring their first glass of Old Cypress, it’s simple:
To taste the time, effort, and care that went into it.
Because behind every bottle is a founder who hand-selected the barrel, filled it, corked it, labeled it, and packed the pallet himself.
That level of ownership is rare in the whiskey world—and it’s the reason Old Cypress has made an impression with just two releases.
If you’re inspired by Old Cypress’s approach to crafting exceptional bourbon, you can bring a bottle—or two—home for yourself. Their inaugural bottle is available for purchase directly on their website, making it easy to experience their carefully aged spirits no matter where you are. You can also get their first barrel pick from our friends over at BRBNFNDR at the link here.
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