At this point Leon had three separate jobs during the day in order to support his growing family and was putting himself through business school at night. It took him eleven years of rigorous work but he was finally able to graduate and take on the world.
By the mid 1980s he had become a successful businessman in San Diego, having been instrumental in the reformation of the Gaslamp District. By this time he had also acquired a taste for fine spirits. Although he enjoyed a large variety of spirits his drink of choice became scotch on the rocks.
Continued Inspiration
We love classic cars just as much as our Grandfather and in order to keep those passions alive we are incorporating them into our company. We will be using vintage cars to deliver our products to bars and restaurants. Max is pictured to the right with first of the fleet, his 1941 Oldsmobile Special 68 Club Coupe. The delivery fleet will also feature a 1929 Model A Truck, built in honor of Leon Herrick.
Our Inspiration
In 1940, 5 year old Alvin Leon Herrick, better known as Leon Herrick, moved from Arkansas to California with his family due to the aftermath of the Dust Bowl era. The economy in their community was dying and it was time for them to head west. As he grew older Leon became obsessed with cars. By the time he was 15 he had already bought a 1929 Model A truck from his neighbor for only $75. With money he earned from the multiple jobs he worked he was able to slowly turn that car into a proper hot rod.
As he grew his love for cars grew even more and after a terrible accident totaled his beloved '29 Model A he moved on to the 1950 Fleetline seen in the picture. This photo was taken shortly before his 18th Birthday in 1955. That same year Leon also married our grandmother, Frances Herrick. His hardships as a child left him with a strong tie to his family and this lead him to want to start his own, bringing into the world his first two daughters who happen to be our mothers.
Our Story
On each of our respective 21st birthdays our grandfather, Leon Herrick, took us aside and shared with us his passion for fine spirits. Over time he taught us how to properly taste and enjoy everything from Gin to Scotch, the latter being his favorite. After his death our passion for the spirits he introduced to us continued to grow until we got a crazy idea. Why not make our own spirits in his name to pay homage to the great man he was.
Our Approach
Our Story
Meet the Team
We, the founding fathers of Herrick Distillery, are in fact cousins. Our shared family is on our mothers side, the Herrick Family.
Max Dressler
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
Fine Spirits made their way into my life when my Grandfather introduced me to Scotch. From there I let my tongue take me on a journey through the world of Fine Spirits. Every time I get a chance to try I new Whiskey or Rum I jump at it. My goal now is to create a truly amazing spirit of my own that I can share with the world.
Evan Anderson
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
I fell in love with whisky, specifically scotch whisky, sometime around college and I have had quite a bit of it since that time, even traveling to Scotland to delve deeper into the stuff. But no matter how many great whisky’s I’ve had, discovering that next great whisky is still a truly euphoric experience. I think there are too few of these truly amazing whiskies in the US. I think it is time we create the next one.
Next Steps...
Coming soon...