Military Veteran Vices: American Freedom Distillery Tom Marshall February 8, 2019 Join the Conversation At RECOIL, we review every product fairly and without bias. Making a purchase through one of our links may earn us a small commission, and helps support independent gun reviews. Learn More Find out more about how we test products. American. Freedom. Distillery. Those words, and some kick-ass pictures, should be all we post for this round of Veteran Vices. But then we would run the risk of short-changing the truly historic foundations of this Florida-based bourbon brand. American Freedom Distillery is helmed by former Green Beret Scott Neil. A veteran of 5th Special Forces Group, Neil and his team were among the very first US Soldiers to hit the ground in Afghanistan in the fall of 2001. His team was one of those that was forced to fight counterinsurgency off of horseback, due to the lack of support infrastructure and the particularly hostile terrain of the Hindu Kush, which was unmanageable for large military vehicles. The movie “12 Strong” is based on this story, and the birth of the American Freedom brand is tied deeply to this movie and to the team’s 9/11 roots. Their flagship product, Horse Soldier, is a wheated bourbon whiskey. They were kind enough to send us a bottle of the barrel strength version and, while the author is not a particular fan of wheated bourbons, this one is a cut above his past experiences. The mash bill is 70% corn, 20% wheat, 10% barley and it’s bottled at barrel strength. Not only is the bourbon itself smooth, with a hint of buttery caramel on the back end, but the bottle itself is pressed in a mold made of steel recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Center. In addition to Horse Soldier, American Freedom Distillery also produces Rekker Rum which, according to their website, is made in the French tradition of rum production. (As yours truly is a die-hard bourbon guy, he’s not 100% sure what exactly the French tradition entails. But it sounds worth a few mojitos for research purposes.) We recently had the chance to speak with Mr. Neil at SHOT Show last month, in a Facebook live that you can find below. We chit chat a little about the history of the brand and about some of their new offerings. Visit https://www.americanfreedomdistillery.com/ More Veteran Vices on RECOIL Drinks Green Feet Brewing Railhouse Brewery Merica Bourbon Ranger Candy Coffee Gunbusters Smokes Line of Duty Cigars BAMF Cigars More Bottle Breacher Grill Your Ass Off Why you can trust RECOIL Since our founding in 2012, RECOIL remains the premier firearms lifestyle publication for the modern shooting enthusiast. We deliver cutting-edge coverage of guns, gear, accessories and technology. We go beyond basic reviews, providing no B.S. buyer’s guides, hands-on testing and expert analysis on everything from firearms and survival equipment to watches and vehicles. Our reviewers are the backbone of our operation and come from diverse shooting backgrounds: Former law enforcement, military veterans, competitive shooters, seasoned hunters and plain old firearms enthusiasts. Furthermore, we’re not just gun experts, but dedicated journalists who adhere to the strictest standards of our profession. At RECOIL, editorial independence is the foundation of everything we publish and the cornerstone of reader trust. Our editors, writers and content creators make all editorial decisions independently, free from outside influence. That boils down to: advertisers don’t dictate our coverage, the outcomes of our reviews or what we recommend in our buyer’s guides. First and always, our commitment is to our audience—ensuring every review and article is accurate, unbiased, and driven by real-world experience. Whether you’re selecting your next firearm, upgrading your gear, or exploring the latest innovations in the shooting world, RECOIL provides the trusted insights you need to make informed decisions. Learn more about our Editorial Standards and how we review products. NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOILFor years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included). Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.You want this. Trust Us.
