Jackie Summers
Defies Obstacles to Create Liqueur Honoring Family Legacy BY RUKSANA HUSSAIN Summers had, through years of permutations and combinations, created a shelf-stable product ready for mass manufacturing and consumption. “It took me 14 months from committing to the project to getting product on shelves,” Summers shares. Sorel launched in 2012 and right away was a spirits industry darling.
F
or Jackie Summers, sorrel is a memory from his childhood and a blessing from his ancestors that he has the privilege to encapsulate in Sorel—a hibiscus-based liqueur that took the spirits industry by storm when first introduced in 2012. Summers has taken its humble abode in Brooklyn to its grand reintroduction in the market ten years later, thanks to a welcome investment from one of the leading names in the industry. His path to success is dotted with obstacles many aren’t privy to, but Summers is proof that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
PHOTOGRAPHY: SOREL
ACTIVATING MEMORIES “I’m trying to be present. I’m trying to make sure that no matter what happens, I’m in my moment, appreciating all of this as it exists,” says Summers. A conscious choice of words from one who has experienced many struggles. Born in Queens and schooled in Manhattan, Summers comes from a Caribbean heritage—his maternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Barbados in search of a better life. His mother was a research scientist and his father a pianist—genes that show in Summers’ research and creativity on the road ahead. Despite a successful 25-year stint in corporate America, a health scare in 2010 had Summers re-evaluating his choices. Though the cancer diagnosis threatened to end his life, Summers beat the odds and knew he wanted to move on to something more meaningful. Sorrel, a drink from his childhood, and a recipe he perfected at home, was the guiding star.
BARRELING AHEAD Moroccan hibiscus, Brazilian clove, Indonesian cassia and nutmeg and Nigerian ginger blended in just the right proportions resulted in a magnificent red liqueur that Summers considers an ode to his ancestors. Sorel artisanal liqueur was produced in a 3,000-sq-ft. micro-distillery and hand-delivered across New York City. Summers thought he was on a winning streak until Hurricane Sandy hit the same year. He lost all his ingredients and equipment, and his space suffered heavy structural damage. With no assistance forthcoming from government agencies, Summers channeled all resources into relaunching in January 2013. Sorel was picked up by its first distributor. But this was followed by two episodes of disappointment. Twice, companies showed interest in partnering with Sorel and then reneged on their offers, much to Summers’ frustration. This significant setback saw Summers lose his apartment in 2016 and remain homeless for almost a year and a half after. Meanwhile, Sorel had attained somewhat of a collector’s item status among bartenders, most saving it as a keepsake for their own consumption, with no news of when the next batch of this brilliant liqueur would arrive and, of course, oblivious to Summers’ travails. The general impression was Sorel was still in the market. CHERISHING SUCCESS It would be 2018 until Summers found a home. Those trying times birthed thoughts and words he framed into speaking opportunities and award-
winning essays. “For five years, I was on the education and writing circuit, teaching about equitable spaces in the industry,” says Summers. It resulted in him co-chairing the education committee with the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. During his three-year term, Summers curated some of the “firsts” for them, including the first ever all-Black panel. When 2020’s Black Lives Matter movement gained traction, Summers did an interview that mentioned he was the first legal Black distiller in the country. That spurred a renewed interest from investors, but Summers hit a roadblock again. Enters Uncle Nearest’s Fawn Weaver, whom Summers turned to for guidance. Not only had Weaver’s premium whiskey brand garnered global recognition, but she had also created the Uncle Nearest Venture Fund to invest in BIPOC-founded, owned and led brands. Sorel’s funding of $2 million was announced in June 2021, and the brand is now available in 22 states. Summers has many plans but most important among them is to tell the story of his ancestors and build a legacy. “This is about telling a story that’s way bigger than me, about the persistence, tenacity, creativity, struggle of the people as far back as I can trace. I stand on a mountain of sacrifice. My job is to make the mountain higher. It is how I honor my ancestors and contribute to the path for whoever is next.” To learn more about Sorel, visit sorelofficial. com and to purchase, visit reservebar.com. You can also follow Jackie Summers (@theliquortarian) on Instagram and Twitter. WWW.CUISINENOIRMAG.COM 15
