Our Origin Story
When founders Nancy Loving and David McCallen envisioned Croton Hudson Distillery (CHD), they set out to create ‘better for you, better for the planet’ spirits. The sole reason every spirit in the CHD portfolio is organic is that organic ingredients produce a better-tasting, more flavorful and more aromatic spirit with less hangover effect.
As they were developing the brands, ethos, and culture of what they wanted the company to represent, the founders knew a strong commitment to the environment and sustainability were vital to their success.
Croton Hudson Distillery’s DAM Vodka and DAM Dry Gin taste great – and they’re arguably better for the environment, too.
Loving and McCallen have roots in the NYC area. They’re surrounded by farm-to-table, organic and vegan restaurant options, farmers markets, and a populace that favors a healthy lifestyle. They knew from the start that they would produce pure organic spirits.
Our Inspiration
The inspiration for CHD was the location – the source of NY’s famously pure, clean water. The Croton watershed, reservoirs, and surrounding land have remained natural and untouched since the area began supplying water to the city over 180 years ago.
The secret to any great spirit is the quality of the water used in the distilling process. Although water accounts for most of the liquid in any bottle of spirits – 60% or more - it has long been overlooked by producers who focused instead on filtration techniques or multiple distillation runs. In other words, they were more concerned with what they were taking out of the spirit rather than what they were putting into it.
The purest water is at the heart of our brands. Water is the basis for all life, and for CHD.
The CHD Team
-
David McCallen has worked in the Wine & Spirits business for 20 years developing successful brands and celebrity-owned products. He has deep DNA in the industry consulting to craft distillers across multiple product categories in US and international markets. He has a proven record of accomplishments in marketing, business development, management, and capital formation in the wine & spirits, technology, and finance industries.
-
Nancy Loving joins CHD as a sales, marketing, and brand strategist. She has been an accomplished Sales Representative and Global Business Development Director and brings forth valuable experience and a passion for project management. She is a goal-driven strategic planner, skilled in leadership and communication, and is known for building strong relationships with business partners and community leaders.
-
David Powers, CFO, is an entrepreneur, real estate investor, CPA and an attorney with a specialization in tax. He has been the CFO of several international hedge funds, and Senior Manager at Ernst & Young’s International Tax and Transaction Services group. He was also a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The CHD Advisory Board
-
Stephen Koval, Partner, Co-Head, Global Private Equity Practice at Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. Mr. Koval has been active in the private equity arena since its inception in the early 80's as a trusted advisor and dealmaker. Notably, his experience involves structuring and negotiating complex business and private equity transactions. He is particularly focused on industries in which he has substantial experience, including retail, consumer goods, luxury brands, health care, industrials, and service entities across the U.S. and the world.
-
Kyran Tompkins is a master distiller in the Hudson Valley. He has created numerous award-winning spirits and has a proven track record of collaborating with new distilleries. Head distiller at Tuthilltown, Hillrock, Current Spirits, and Hudson House.
-
Ralph Birt has over 20 years of experience in financial services. He began his career at Goldman Sachs, spending a decade working across Principal Finance, Structured Products and Risk, before founding Gwynn Oak Capital, a NYC-based boutique structured finance advisory firm. Ralph holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Stanford University.