Rank Wildcat Spirits

David and Cole are good friends of many years with a mutual interest in the production of spirits. The two are native to the southern cultural region of Louisiana known as Acadiana (where the Cajuns are from!) They realized after a time that Acadiana grows as much if not more sugar cane than most of the Caribbean rum-producing nations, and that realization begged the question: Where is Acadiana’s rum industry?! After adequate planning and research, they both agreed to pull the trigger and throw their hats in the ring! The two formed Rank Wildcat Spirits, LLC in mid-2011 with the intent to get licensed and begin making and selling liquor. They tackled the application aggressively and received their federal license in early February, 2012. Their primary source of pride and the thing that they think really sets them apart is that Rank Wildcat is the product of their own individual effort. They built the still kettle by hand, designed their own labels, acquired their licenses, developed their formulas, negotiated for all their supplies, and they did it all with no outside aid. All of their spirits are distilled using their hand-crafted and one-of-a-kind stainless steel and copper still, Lulu.

Author: Caroline Porsiel

Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.