Snowboarding legend and Utah-based whiskey brand team up to preserve the land in their own backyards
Park City, Utah, August 28, 2023 – Three-time Olympic gold medalist and professional snowboarder Shaun White has experienced some of the most exceptional trails, slopes, waves and views the West has to offer. Over the years he’s also witnessed firsthand the impact climate change has had on these places, with rising temperatures and melting snowpacks increasingly posing a threat. Today, High West, the Park City-based whiskey distillery, is thrilled to announce they’re teaming up with Shaun White to protect and preserve the land they both call home – The West. Together they’ll work to drive awareness of High West’s Protect the West platform, striving to conserve the natural beauty of the West and all that inhabit it so it can be enjoyed by generations to come.
Shaun’s experience growing up on the West Coast shaped his passions, and today his dedication to giving back to the land mirrors that of High West’s. Throughout the partnership, Shaun will lend his voice to High West’s Protect the West initiative, a commitment of $1 million over three years to organizations dedicated to keeping the West wild and preserving its beauty. The Protect the West platform distributes funding to organizations whose efforts fall into three focus areas: the fight against wildfires, protecting winters and wildland conservation.
“High West is all about seeking out adventure, and there’s no better place to do that than the West,” said Shaun White, five-time Olympian and professional snowboarder. “I was lucky enough to grow up exploring this incredible place, learning to snowboard, skateboard and even mountain bike here, and it’s so important to me that people have the same opportunity I once had. It’s pretty cool to be able to team up with not just my favorite whiskey, but one that shares my same passion for preserving the West.”
“You don’t have to look too far outside the doors of our Saloon or Distillery to see the West is in danger,” said Daniel Schear, General Manager of High West. “Like Shaun, High West is a team made up of adventurers who appreciate all the West has to offer, which is why the Protect the West initiative hits home for all of us. Our passion for this cause is only growing, and we’re honored to have Shaun’s support in driving more urgency and action.”
A trailblazer in his own craft, Shaun is known for taking risks and facing challenges head on. The High West team approaches whiskey with this same mentality, meticulously sourcing, distilling and blending the best whiskeys to create exceptional bottles. Whether it’s a seasonal release such as Campfire, a new innovation, or the core expressions and Shaun’s go-to whiskeys, High West Double Rye and High West Bourbon, the High West team challenges themselves to over deliver on quality and exceptional taste.
For more information on High West and the Protect the West platform, visit https://highwest.com/. To follow along with the partnership on social, tune in on Instagram @DrinkHighWest and @ShaunWhite.
About High West
Utah's first legal distillery since 1870, High West's passion is crafting delicious and distinctive whiskeys and helping people appreciate whiskey all in the context of our home, the American West. High West offers an outstanding collection of highly rated whiskeys in finer liquor stores, bars, and restaurants in all 50 U.S. states and internationally.
High West was honored to receive Whisky Advocate's prestigious Distiller of the Year award in 2016. The ultimate authority on whisky said, "High West delivers innovative and delicious whiskeys, expands the definition of what it is to be a distiller, and pioneered a successful new paradigm for craft distilling."
High West's must-visit locations include our High West Distillery in Wanship, Utah, a 30,000 square foot world-class distillery and visitor center featuring educational tours and High West's unique country-western cuisine; and our High West Distillery & Saloon in historic Old Town Park City, the world's only ski-in gastro distillery that was voted "Best Park City Restaurant" by readers of City Weekly. It has received multiple accolades including earning Best Après Ski Bar in Utah by USA TODAY's 10Best being named a finalist in the 2020 Park City's Best Awards for Best Après Ski, a nomination for Best Bar by the James Beard Foundation, and a top-10 ranking on The Daily Meal's list of 150 Best Bars in America.