Whit Johnson found passion and purpose in the unlikeliest of places.
An architect by training, the Clemson grad and South Carolina native was fully entrenched in Atlanta’s real estate development scene when he decided, seemingly on a whim, to try his hand at creating a rice-based spirit.
That was 2018. After three years of research and development, Johnson’s passion gave rise to Horyzon, a boutique distillery that will soon relocate to the Upstate and begin scaling up production of its award-winning Harvest Select spirit.
Although the past was filled with botched batches, singed eyebrows, and fatigued muscles, the path ahead appears promising. Here are Johnson’s thoughts on transforming a dream into reality and the evolution of a category-defining product.
Q&A with Whit Johnson
What inspired you to start distilling alcohol?
I came up with the concept of a rice-based spirit in 2014 after reading an article on the prominence of Chinese baijiu. I had never heard of the spirit before, but it’s the largest spirit category by consumption worldwide.
Had you ever brewed beer or produced any other types of alcohol as a hobby?
No, my foray into rice and koji (an ingredient that turns rice into sugar during fermentation) was my first plunge into alcohol. And honestly, it was my interest in local rice that led me to distillation, not distillation that led me to rice.
How did you learn to produce rice alcohol?
I read everything I could on the topic, watched every online video I could get my hands on, and networked with people across the country to learn more about rice, koji, and distillation techniques. It wasn’t like buying a beer kit that comes with instructions. There was a lot of experimentation and trial and error.
For the uninitiated, what does a rice-based spirit compare to in a more traditional sense?
Our current offering is a clear spirit that’s 80 proof and has an aroma and taste somewhere between a vodka and a rhum Agricole (a type of rum distilled from pressed cane sugar rather than fermented juice or molasses). The use of polished rice makes for a very smooth, low-calorie spirit, while the koji brings out subtle savory and tropical flavors.
When and why did you decide to get into the spirits business?
In 2021, [my wife and I] made the decision to move back to our home state. I took the transition as an opportunity to focus on this venture. It’s not the direction I thought I would take, but the opportunity was so unique and allowed me to work on a passion of mine. The support I received was so strong that I decided to pursue it [as a profession].
What are your short- and longer-term goals for the company?
Our immediate goal is to find a location for a distillery in Greenville that will allow us to increase production and our marketing efforts. Looking further into the future, we want to establish our region as the foremost producer of rice spirits in the country and pioneer the use of koji and rice for making whiskey alongside traditional grains like malted barley, rye, and corn.
Are there parallels between real estate development and the spirits industries?
Yes—both require persistence and motivation. Timelines can be very long, so patience and confidence in your strategy are paramount. Some days are great and some days can be big downers, but you have to stay focused on the big picture and believe in what you’re doing.
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of the company’s journey to this point?
The two best moments have been seeing that initial bottle hit the shelves and then winning the awards we did this season. I have an autographed bottle at the house with signatures from me, my partner, and our early investors. It was the first bottle that was capped and sealed, and it was truly rewarding to see all our efforts up to that point finally going into the market.
Horyzon Selections
Horyzon Harvest Select
Category-defining clear spirit that combines flavors of stewed stone fruits and alpine herbs with delicate aromas and a smooth, even finish.
Horyzon Southern Blend
Amber-hued spirit crafted with hand-selected rice grains from Arkansas and an aromatic variant of Carolina Gold Rice known as Charleston Gold.
For more inspiration, go to horyzonspirits.com
