The Icons of Whisky recognized Estes Public Relations for its contributions in the spirits space, naming Estes PR the PR Agency of the Year and PR Team of the Year at the annual awards event Thursday, Feb. 13, at The Brown Hotel in Louisville.
Icons of Whisky Honors EPR’s Spirits Industry Work
Presented by Whisky Magazine and American Whiskey Magazine, both part of Paragraph Publishing, the Icons of Whisky Awards aim to express gratitude and appreciation for the unwavering commitment of these individuals and producers. While the annual World Whiskies Awards recognize the spirits themselves, the Icons of Whisky Awards recognizes agencies, communicators, marketers, ambassadors, bottlers, visitors’ attractions and others who play key roles in the industry.
Founded in 2004, Estes Public Relations crafts messages as individual as the brands and people they represent, and make sure they get to the right people. For more than two decades, Estes PR has supported clients across the food, spirits, lifestyle, consumer products, hospitality and travel industries. Estes PR works with whiskey brands, related organizations and spirits influencers, providing full-service public relations tailored to each client’s specific needs.
EPR’s Leadership on Icons of Whisky Recognition
“I founded Estes PR out of my own love for food and beverage — specifically bourbon — and we’ve had the opportunity to work with so many brands and people as this industry has blossomed,” said President Jamie Estes. “Our team is committed to doing the best for each individual client and crafting strategies and messages that align with each one. I’m so proud to see them recognized for their hard work.”
The recognition from Icons of Whisky America validates EPR’s strategic approach to spirits marketing and public relations. Each of the campaigns submitted for judging demonstrated the agency’s ability to understand unique brand stories and connect them with the right audiences. From heritage bourbon brands to innovative craft distilleries, EPR’s work spans the full spectrum of the spirits industry. The team’s success stems from developing customized strategies that honor each client’s individual identity while leveraging EPR’s deep industry knowledge and media relationships built over two decades in the food and beverage space.
For the Icons of Whiskey awards, Estes PR submitted examples of PR campaigns completed in 2024 for multiple clients, including the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, New Riff Distilling, Whiskey House of Kentucky and Old Line Spirits — all distinctly different brands with unique goals and priorities for the year. With new spirits-related clients added for 2025 including the Bourbon Capital Alliance, Oxmoor Bourbon Company and West Fork Whiskey — and hopefully more to come — Estes said the agency looks forward to continuing its work in the spirits space as well as in the restaurant, travel, and consumer goods sectors.
The full list of Icons of Whisky 2025 winners can be found online at worldwhiskiesawards.com/icons.
Icons of Whisky America Award Leads to Global Recognition
After being named PR Team of the Year at the Icons of Whisky America awards in February, Estes Public Relations went on to compete against PR teams from around the world. In March 2025, EPR was honored at the Icons of Whisky global finals in London, where the agency was named Global PR Team of the Year. This international recognition at the World Whiskies Awards celebrated EPR’s work alongside the best spirits industry professionals from Ireland, Scotland, China, Japan, India, Great Britain, and beyond. The global win reinforced EPR’s position as a leader in spirits public relations and demonstrated the agency’s ability to compete at the highest level of the industry. Read more about EPR’s Global PR Team of the Year win in London.
