The W&W Story

Wilks & Wilsonʼs hand-crafted, organic infused and all natural elixirs, though also meant for use in non-alcoholic beverages, cooking and coffee, are intended for use in cocktails. Many of these cocktails were common to the late-1800s to the early 1900s– also known as the pre-Prohibition era.

The exact origin of the term “cocktail” is disputed. However, what is known is that, since even before this time, people have been using various “blends of spirits, sugar and other natural ingredients” as a way to enjoy their favorite alcoholic beverages.

Every spirit has its own nuance. Every cocktail has its own history and ingredients that have been carefully selected to bring out and enhance those nuances. Elixirs play a large role in that process.

Zach and Greg wanted to brand themselves in that era, going for the term “patent medicine.” Patent medicine was the term for secret, original remedies common to this period, which often carried crazy names and wild claims.

“An elixir is something that makes you feel better,” Greg said. “They may not make you better, but they make you feel better.”

Today, we are witnessing a return to the appreciation of the finer, hand-crafted cocktails of yesteryear. Staying ahead of the trend, Wilks & Wilson has scoured the annals of bartending to find the recipes and stories behind the greatest cocktails in history.

Zach said his style of bartending centers around the pre-Prohibition era, naming it as his “sweet spot.” Instead of focusing on more modern practices, he said he researches and mixes historical, cultured cocktails, then puts a modern twist on them to make them his.

“When I decided I was going to [bartend] professionally, I told myself I was going to hit the history books and do it right,” Zach said.

The result? The finest cocktail elixirs available today. Every cocktail has a story and, with Wilks & Wilson, the story of the hand-crafted cocktail will continue to be written with taste and distinction.