Our Story

New England Barrel Company (NEBCo) was founded in 2020 by James Saunders, as an independent bottler of American whiskey, with a focus on bourbon and rye. Since its inception, NEBCo's focused on bottling world class spirits, and offering them at a reasonable price.

We do this by NOT DISTILLING… James isn't even allowed to use power tools at home, let alone distill. Instead, James works with distilleries across the country to source amazing barrels of whiskey. He imports these barrels to New England where he determines through tasting which ones will contribute to the profile of our Small Batch and Small Batch Select bourbon and ryes, which barrels will enter our award-winning single barrel program, and which barrels will be used for special releases. This process allows NEBCo to craft true small batches and unique single barrel offerings that show respect and appreciation for whiskey consumers.

James Saunders, our President & Head Blender, worked for 20 years in sales and leadership roles in the Enterprise IT field where his clients introduced him to the magic of American whiskey. He started New England Barrel Company in an effort to bring sanity back to the American whiskey market, and take consumers on the journey from lower proof to cask strength offerings without breaking the bank.