Founded by award-winning hospitality master and author Justin Morales, Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon is a handcrafted Connecticut spirit that blends high rye bourbon with figs, honey, birch, and bitters. Known for its balance of savory, angelic, and devilish notes, it has become one of New England’s most unique and flavorful bourbons.

 

The Origins of a Connecticut Craft Spirit

Justin Morales made his name behind the bar as an award-winning mixologist, flavor blender, and hospitality innovator. In 2017, while running one of the nine bars he’s opened throughout his career, Morales began experimenting with a barrel-aged Old Fashioned. Blending fig and birch into bourbon and aging it in a wooden barrel, the cocktail was such a hit it quickly became the signature drink of his establishment.

The Colonel’s Old Fashioned became legendary — a best-seller that defined the bar’s identity and introduced guests to Morales’ unique approach to balance, creativity, and flavor.

 

From Pandemic Innovation to Bottled Rock & Bourbon

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed Connecticut’s bars, Morales adapted. With new regulations allowing takeout liquor sales, he began bottling his fig and birch Old Fashioned for loyal guests. The demand was overwhelming — bottles sold out, waitlists formed, and production couldn’t keep up with the two-week barrel-aging process.

That moment proved the potential for a ready-to-drink craft cocktail spirit.

 

The Birth of Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon

Partnering with Central Connecticut Distillers, Morales scaled production with a large-batch recipe, premium high rye bourbon, and real ingredients sourced with care. After research and experimentation, he discovered that the product qualified not just as a flavored whiskey — but officially as a Rock & Bourbon under TTB guidelines.

With approval secured, Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon was born. Today, it is sold across Connecticut — thriving in both on-premise bars and restaurants as well as off-premise retail shops. Expansion into surrounding states is already underway.

 

A Spirit of Balance

As Morales often says:

“Balance is as important to a cocktail as it is to a Hitori Hanzo Sword.” – JM

Up n’ Down Rock & Bourbon isn’t just a drink — it’s a story of resilience, craftsmanship, and flavor. A product born from the challenges of hospitality life, it embodies the “ups and downs” that every guest, bartender, and entrepreneur knows well.