Happenstance Whiskey owner Paige Parker is making a name for herself in the bourbon industry as she’s created a whiskey that she describes as a “premium, full-bodied, easy to drink, and that caters to the modern bourbon drinker.”
“As of today, we are Nashville’s only 100% woman-owned bourbon company,” says Parker of Happenstance Whiskey.
Parker is no stranger to the alcohol industry, as she previously worked in marketing for Anheuser-Busch and has a sommelier background. Like many entrepreneurs, Parker found herself creating Happenstance Whiskey to fill a void in the industry and bring to life what she thought it was missing.
“I respect the heritage and tradition of bourbons before me, but with Happenstance, I wanted to create a bourbon that was premium with a contemporary twist,” she explains. “Since women are such a large percentage of all bourbon drinkers, I think it's really important to have more women innovating and leading in this industry. I hope Happenstance can be an example for many more women in bourbon to come!”
One day she found herself at the liquor store, searching for the type of whiskey she had envisioned—and later created—when a salesperson approached her to see if she was looking for a gift for her father. In that moment, it was clear to Parker that there was a void in the market to be filled.
“That really made me think that there had to be other people like me who aren’t necessarily looking for that same traditional brand that’s out there,” she remembers. “It was in that moment that I knew that I had to be the one to create it, and so that’s where Happenstance was born.”
In the spring of 2021, Parker launched the brand with a name inspired by a lyric in Country artist Eric Church’s song “Springsteen.” While driving around listening to the radio, the song came on, and she knew it was meant to be. “The journey that led me here was happenstance, this company being in Nashville was happenstance, and I felt like it was the perfect name for a bourbon company,” she shares.
“…We’ve been really grateful that the community of Nashville has rallied behind the Happenstance brand,” says Parker. “We’ve been really fortunate to have some really strong women and men in Country who want to be a part of the Happenstance experience.” Country artists such as HARDY, Meghan Patrick, and Mitchell Tenpenny have even served Happenstance at their weddings.
With her sommelier background, she describes the flavor through the lens of wine connoisseurs. “I always like to describe our flavor profile for those wine drinkers as a cabernet style bourbon,” she explains. “It’s full-bodied, smooth, naturally sweet with a bit of a rye finish on the backend.”
Whether neat or in a cocktail like a whiskey sour or ginger lemon whiskey, when it comes to the best way to drink Happenstance, whiskey lovers really can’t go wrong.
Happenstance Whiskey is currently available exclusively in Tennessee and can be found at favorite Nashville spots like the hotel bars at the Virgin, Joseph, and One hotels, as well as Assembly Food Hall and Acme on Broadway. It’s available on major alcohol delivery apps such as Uber Eats, Drizzly, and Mini Bar and at stores around the city. For a full list of locations where Happenstance Whiskey is sold, visit the “Find Us” tab on their website HappenstanceWhiskey.com.