Is Dana White the Owner of Howler Head Bourbon Whiskey? Everything About the Lesser-Known Business Venture of the New UFC CEO

Dana White is one of the most important figures behind the success that the UFC in particular, and mixed martial arts enjoys. White and his friends the Fertitta brothers took over the UFC over two decades ago. The promotion was a far cry from its current heights and was almost struggling for its survival. Relegated to civic centers in tier-three cities, the sport was illegal in certain states of the United States, including New York.

Over the next twenty years, White and his team were able to achieve their aim of having UFC be the place where the best martial artists in the world fight each other. Today, the UFC is the fastest-growing sport financially in the United States and has broken into mainstream consciousness to the point that ESPN, the largest sports broadcaster in the world, has a separate website dedicated to the sport.

One of the perks of taking a fledgling UFC and building it to a roaring success is that Dana has made a lot of money off of it. White did not grow up with much money and used to work as a bellboy and a boxing trainer before taking over the UFC bankrolled by the Fertittas. And today, the UFC CEO makes a reported $20 million in salary annually. But, like all smart businessmen the UFC boss has diversified. He has invested his money in commercial and residential real estate, arts, and antiques. Along with these, another source of revenue for him is his whiskey business just like  Conor McGregor.

Dana White’s role in Howler Head Bourbon Whiskey

Dana White once called himself a co-founder of the whiskey brand Howler Head Bourbon. However, it was later clarified that he was a brand partner and not one of the founders. White has repeatedly expressed his fondness for the whiskey and called it one of the best whiskeys he has ever tasted, saying he fell in love with it during the pandemic.

The UFC boss, of course, has another incentive to plug the whiskey besides being its co-founder. Howler Head is the first-ever official flavored whiskey partner of the UFC. The whiskey has a straight Kentucky Bourbon base, infused with a banana flavor that gives it its distinct and unique taste.

Where is Dana White’s Howler Head Banana Bourbon Whiskey available?

Howler Head Bourbon is available in many states in the United States and a few overseas jurisdictions like the United Kingdom and Canada. It is available in select outlets in these states. It can also be purchased from the comfort of one’s home by ordering online from the various liquor home delivery services. The best bet, however, is to order the whiskey from the official Howler Head website to get the best prices.

The whiskey begins its journey at Owensboro-based Green River Distilling Co, using a special method where they use proprietary yeast, grains, and mineral-rich water filtered through Kentucky limestone before barreling. The Bourbon then undergoes aging in American white oak barrels with alligator char and blended with ‘natural’ banana flavor for two years.

Does $23 Billion worth Campari Group have a stake in Howler Head?

The Howler Head brand is owned by the Wooler Brand Inc. However, the Campari Group, an Italian company with a long history going back to 1860, has acquired a 15% share in Howler Head Bourbon. The agreement was finalized on August 24, 2022, and Campari committed to paying $15 million for the 15% stake in the whiskey brand.

Campari has also acquired the rights to be the sole overseas distributor of the whiskey brand. Campari Group CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz stated that the Bourbon is one of the company’s “global priority brand pillars,” making Howler Head an “ideal fit” for the firm’s portfolio. The whiskey brand has been described as one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands in the States since it launched in 2021.

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White is not the first to wade into the liquor business in the UFC world. Former two-division champion, Conor McGregor, of course, made most of his money from the sale of his whiskey brand, Proper No. Twelve whiskey. ‘Notorious’ founded his brand under the Eire Born Spirit Company in 2018. He and his partners sold majority shares in the business in April 2021 for an eye-watering $600 million to Proximo Spirits who had owned a 49% stake in it prior to the deal.

Recently, days before his title defense (and eventual loss) against Sean O’Malley at UFC 292, former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling previewed his upcoming Jamaican Rum, called Funk Harbor in reference to his nickname ‘Funkmaster’. The New Yorker has collaborated with Driftwood Distillery to launch his Jamaican Rum. Meanwhile, McGregor has become the wealthiest mixed martial artist in the history of the sport on the back of his whiskey brand’s success. Let us hope Dana White and Aljamain Sterling can be as successful with their liquor brands.

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