Charles City roots helps native create, promote adult beverage

Big dreams often start in small places. And with his roots grounded in Charles City, one county native continues to help spread an adult beverage that carries a sense of his hometown.

Walter Crawley is one of the founders of RYCO whiskey, a beverage that has kept the dream alive for the 1980 graduate of Ruthville High School in Charles City.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from George Mason University in chemistry and his Master’s Degree in chemical engineering, Crawley became an employee of Kraft Foods in New Jersey. Among his specialized duties was developing new product concepts for the alcohol industry.

“Top companies would come in and ask about the latest alcohol trends,” Crawley said in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview. “It was up for me and a team of market analysts to come up with ideas and concepts.”

Those concepts were tweaked by major companies, bringing success and recognition to the Kraft Food Company. But the work also was deemed taxing on Crawley, who took a hiatus from his employment and began focusing on the biotechnology industry. That is when the product now known as RYCO whiskey began to form.

“In 2013, I was at a family picnic in Charles City and my uncle brought me a product and told me to taste it,” Crawley said. “I tasted it and it was absolutely awesome.

“My uncle told me it was whiskey and I didn’t believe him,” he continued. “That was when a light bulb went off in my head that if this product could connect with non-whiskey consumers.”

With no conflict of interest factoring into the development, Crawley began the process of manufacturing the product. In 2014, he began to fine tune the drink, with production beginning in 2015. In 2016, the first batch launched.

But before the launch, the product had to have a name. Crawley mentioned the unique backstory on RYCO’s chosen label.

“The name came from family history, specifically when we had family gatherings,” the Charles City native said. “It’s like when you have a fish fry and what may start out as four or five people quickly turns to 30.

“If someone was not at the party of cookout, somebody would leave a note on the door that said ‘Are you coming over’,” Crawley continued. “Over time, it just seemed to long to write and it was abbreviated ‘RYCO’. From there, RYCO became known as the party word and if you saw that on the door, you knew there was a party.

“When I first tasted the whiskey, it was an instant party and I said let’s call it that,” Crawley added.

After receiving financial support, RYCO launched in Virginia and made a pitch to the center of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). After the brand was rejected outright, the group gained the ability to do spot sales in certain locations after a strong, local following developed. Requests came in for the product and soon certain bars and stores was requesting the product.

As 2017 concluded and 2018 marks a new year, Crawley said that RYCO is looking to grow and target the market.

“We are working on a new strategy and funding to push this product fully in Virginia,” he said. “We are making 2018 a relaunching year for the brand.

“It takes money and support,” Crawley continued. “The local reception has been well received. It’s instant likability, which is unusual for a whiskey.”

Crawley said he wouldn’t been able to be where he is without support of his family and the local communities.

“The RYCO brand is grateful to the family for the support behind the brand,” he said. “Like any business, the family can’t support if financially, but to get any business off the ground, it takes a lot of emotional support as well.

“The people in Charles City have been extremely receptive,” Crawley added as he wrapped up the interview. “We greatly appreciate it and hope those who haven’t give it a try to see a homegrown product successful in the marketplace.”