Service Through Spirits

NICK NGUYEN
President, First Responder Whiskey Society

“It’s not about the bottle. It’s not about what’s in the bottle. It’s about whom it represents.” This ethos embodies the spirit of the First Responder Whiskey Society, a charity formed in 2020 to support first responders and their families in times of need.

Our origins are deeply rooted in our values of loyalty, camaraderie, charity, wellness and responsible consumption. We originally started as a Facebook group to create a space where police, fire, military, EMS and families could gather online to share drinks. The governing idea was born from a simple passion for whiskey and a desire for connection. 

The First Responder Whiskey Society became a haven for first responders to celebrate successes, mourn the loss of friends and be a place where active and retired responders could gather and stay away from the politics of the outside world.

We shifted our primary focus within a few months of forming. Due to an on-duty medical emergency, one of the group’s original members, Riverside County Sheriff’s K-9 Sergeant Harry Cohen, passed away. This highlighted the dire need for support among the first responder community. The society’s members rallied around, purchasing a barrel of whiskey, selling it and donating the proceeds to support his family. The empty whiskey barrel was brought to a celebration-of-life party, where all Harry’s friends and family signed it. The barrel sits in his wife Lisa’s house to this day. This initiative began First Responder Whiskey Society’s mission: “To use whiskey to help first responders and their families in their time of need.” It was no longer just about the shared joy of whiskey but about honoring the fallen and supporting their families. The Facebook group registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity in 2022. 

We have earned Candid GuideStar’s Platinum Transparency status and raised over $100,000 for first responder families in our short time as a charity.

The society’s primary fundraising method involves creating custom-engraved whiskey bottles that honor fallen heroes. These bottles, finished at Liberty Call Distilling in San Diego, California, bear a gold-foil embossed look that adds a touch of elegance and reverence. Such fundraisers can typically raise between $5,000 to $10,000, making a meaningful difference in the lives of affected families.

When a first responder tragically falls in the line of duty, someone within the group’s 10,000-plus Facebook group, the family or the agency that lost the officer can reach out. With the family’s permission, the society initiates the process of creating custom bottles for charitable fundraising. A bottle is made, and the First Responder Whiskey Society does all the work to create a flyer and get the bottle sold through an authorized alcohol retailer. The friends and family of the fallen officer send out the flyer, and the bottle can be ordered. There are no minimum orders, and 100% of the net proceeds return to the family.

The charity raises funds for departments nationwide through our line-of-duty-death projects and personalized retirement, academy graduation and fundraising bottles. We’ve partnered with national groups like PORAC, Concerns of Police Survivors, Fraternal Order of Police and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

If you’re inspired by the work of the First Responder Whiskey Society and wish to support our cause or become involved, more information is available on the official website and Facebook group. You can scan the QR code above to join the group or email nick@firstresponderwhiskeysociety.org to fundraise for your department.