We were lucky to catch up with Chaim Litvin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Chaim, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

A few months ago, i got a text late at night. A guy was standing in a liquor store aisle, trying to choose a kosher bourbon for his son’s wedding the next day and was feeling totally overwhelmed. I could have answered in the morning, but instead I called the store, spoke with the staff, had them check their inventory, and walked him through his options in real time. He later told me that the gesture made him feel like he had a personal bourbon concierge. For me, it was simply treating his simcha like my own. It reminded me that customers don’t just buy bottles, they invest in relationships.

Chaim, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve spent over 20 years inside distilleries through my work in kosher supervision, and that’s where my bourbon story really started. Over time, consumers began reaching out, asking for advice, tastings, classes, and help understanding what made one bourbon different from another. That demand grew so quickly that it turned into a second career, and eventually into my brand: BourbonRabbi.

Today I run a bourbon company with nine products on the market, along with a private-label bottling operation that creates custom blends for companies, events, and celebrities. I also travel worldwide for tastings, lectures, and team-building programs, helping people connect to bourbon on a deeper level. Everything we produce is high-quality, small-batch, and kosher, made with transparency and real craftsmanship.

What sets me apart is the combination of tradition and technical knowledge. I’m a rabbi who has spent two decades learning the science, history, and hands-on production of bourbon directly inside distilleries. I help people choose bottles they can trust and understand exactly what they’re drinking.

What I’m most proud of is that the brand grew entirely from genuine interest and word of mouth, people wanted clarity, education, and honesty, and I built a brand around those values. BourbonRabbi isn’t just a product line; it’s a community and an educational platform that helps make meaningful moments for people, whether it’s a corporate retreat, a wedding gift, or just sharing a drink with friends.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

Yes, what is now my full-time gig absolutely started as a side hustle. For nearly two decades as I worked in kosher supervision, which meant spending a lot of time inside distilleries, people started asking me for advice, tastings, and bourbon classes. At first it was just a fun side project, something I did when I could because I loved teaching. But the demand kept growing. More event requests, more speaking invitations, more people wanting help choosing bottles or understanding the industry.

The turning point came in 2017 when the Wall Street Journal wrote a feature on my work. That article changed everything. Suddenly I was hearing from people across the country, and opportunities came in faster than I could keep up with. What started as an occasional tasting quietly turned into a real business.

From there, things scaled quickly and naturally. I launched my bourbon brand, which has now grown to nine products on the market, expanded into private-label bottling for companies, events, and celebrities, and built a teaching and tasting program that takes me all over the world. Each new state we entered, each Total Wine or Costco placement, each custom blend for a corporate client, those became the steady milestones that showed me this wasn’t a side project anymore.

Today BourbonRabbi is more than just a side hustle, but it still carries the same spirit it had in the beginning: education, authenticity, and a genuine love for connecting people with good bourbon. The growth has been exciting, but the heart of it has stayed the same, one person at a time, one tasting at a time.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think my reputation was built on three things: authenticity, kindness, and paying it forward. The bourbon world is full of great people, and from the beginning I made it a priority to show up honestly, no gimmicks, no ego, just real knowledge and real passion for the craft. People can feel that immediately.

Kindness has played a huge role too. Whether it’s answering late-night questions, helping someone choose the right bottle for a milestone, or taking time for a tasting even when I’m busy, I try to treat every person like they matter, because they do. Those small moments add up.

And finally, paying it forward. I’ve been welcomed into this industry by master distillers, educators, and producers who took the time to teach me. I try to pass that generosity along by helping others learn, grow, and connect to bourbon in their own way. That spirit, sharing, not gatekeeping, has shaped everything from my classes to my products.

In the end, reputation isn’t built by marketing or branding. It’s built by how you treat people, and that’s been the foundation of BourbonRabbi from day one.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bourbonrabbi.com
• Instagram: @bourbonrabbi
• Facebook: @bourbonrabbi
• Linkedin: @bourbonrabbi
• Youtube: @bourbonrabbi