Christy Pruitt-Haynes
Spirits, cigar and lifestyle brands work with Christy Pruitt-Haynes when they need to reach potential customers they are not reaching yet, and quickly see a return on their investment.
Triple Certified
Bourbon, whiskey, and cigars
44,000+
Engaged followers
Documented
Sales lift for brand partners
25+ Years
Fortune 500 executive
Why Me
I did not focus on whiskey and cigars because I loved whiskey and cigars, although I do. I came looking for community...so that's what I help brands build every day.
I use to travel constantly for work, landing in cities I didn't know, trying to find somewhere to spend an evening. As a single woman, that's not a simple thing. There are rooms you walk into alone and you immediately feel tension. Bourbon bars and cigar lounges were different. It didn't matter what city I was in. If I could find one, it felt like home.
Something happens in those rooms. All the things that usually separate people fall away and you're just people sharing an experience together. I needed that and I was certain other people needed it too.
I also knew how easy it is to feel locked out of it. If you don't know what to order, or how to drink it, or what half the words mean, the door might as well be closed. So I went to work. I earned the certifications. I toured the distilleries and cigar factories. I sat with the people who make this stuff and asked questions until I understood it. Then I took that knowledge and combined it with what I already did for a living, professional speaking and training, and I started teaching.
I went live on TikTok and it took off, for one simple reason; people wanted to ask a question and get a real answer without pretension. They wanted someone who actually believed that whether you love George T. Stagg at barrel proof or the sweetest old fashioned known to man, you belong here.
That is still the whole job. I turn novices into enthusiasts. I talk about bottles and cigars at every price point because the goal is to meet people where they are and find their starting point. I introduce people to brands they have never heard of. And I don't tell anyone what to drink or smoke. I tell them what to expect and how to find what they like, because an informed consumer becomes a loyal one.
What That Means for Your Brand
A lot of marketing in this category talks to people who already buy it. I bring in the ones who have not walked through the door yet, and I give the ones already inside a reason to go deeper. That's where the growth is, and it'swhy my content and approach moves product instead of only collecting views.
Proven Impact
Numbers brand and agency teams can put in a budget request.
Follower Growth
For New Dawn Distilling within hours of a single post
Interaction Lift
Increase in interactions from accounts that did not already follow the brand
Direct Sales
Generated within two hours of posting about a boutique cigar brand
Views
On a single post, the Bourbon Infinity Bottle
Accounts Reached
Organically in 30 days
Views
In the last 30 days
Female Spending
Increase at a bourbon bar through targeted programming
What the Audience Says
Real comments. Real purchases.
"I just ordered a bottle for my godson who is an amateur whiskey drinker based solely on this video. What cigar would you pair with it? I want to get those for him too."
— Instagram Follower
"I have been drinking Frank August ever since you recommended it a year ago. It became a staple on my shelf."
— Instagram Follower
"Whenever I hear about a new to me brand I run over to see if you have posted about it. I owe half of my bar to your recommendations because you make it so easy to understand if I will like it or not."
— TikTok Follower
Case Study: New Dawn Distilling
The Challenge
A small distillery needed visibility and sales for a 6 year old bourbon, competing for attention against national brands with national budgets.
The Work
One piece of original content built around Christy's own tasting notes and her voice, published to her audience without a scripted brand read.
The Result
- 7.7% follower growth for the brand in under a day
- Multiple direct sales within two hours of posting
- A 17% lift in engagement from non followers
"Christy's video on New Dawn's 6 year old bourbon is the ONLY video or post on ANY social media channel that correlated with direct growth and sales. We saw a 7.7% increase in follower growth in just one day, really, hours, after her post. Her post immediately translated into direct sales. Christy speaks honestly and authentically to her followers which has definitely made her a trusted source in the whiskey community."
Dr. Dawn O'Neal, Founder and CEO, New Dawn Distilling
Audience and Compliance
Platform Breakdown
13,700+
Tik Tok
30,300+
44,000+
Engaged followers across platforms as @TheWhiskeyAndCigarChic
Annual Speaker at Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
Podcast: Co-host of two whiskey shows, Whiskey University and The Blind Tiger Collective and guest on several others.
Audience Composition
- 99% of audience is 21 or older
- Age breakdown: 2.8% age 18-24, 13.1% age 25-34, 32% age 35-44, 33.4% age 45-54, 15.9% age 55-64, 2.9% age 65+
- Gender split: 55% Women, 45% Men
- Top markets: New York City, Nashville, TN, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Louisville, KY, Atlanta, GA, St. Louis, MO
Built for Regulated Brands
Audience meets the DISCUS adult demographic placement standard of 73.8% legal purchase age. All partnership content carries FTC compliant disclosure. Age gating applied where required. Full demographic reporting available on request before any campaign starts.
Ways to Engage
Every partnership is scoped to your objective, market, and timeline. Starting rates below.
Sponsored Content and Social Campaigns
Original launch content, product spotlights, and ongoing series in Christy's voice. Includes concept, production, publishing, and a post campaign performance report.
Brand Ambassador, Event Hosting and Brand Activation
Hosting, pouring, and activating at festivals, corporate gatherings, and lifestyle expos. She brings certified expertise and her own audience to your pour station.
VIP Tastings and Private Experiences
Curated bourbon flights and full whiskey and cigar pairing dinners, from intimate executive gatherings to conferences of 2,000. Wine programming available through her sommelier partner, so you get one point of contact.
Barrel Picks and Selection Collaborations
Executive Bourbon Steward credentials applied to single barrel selection, plus the storytelling that turns the pick into a marketing asset.
Speaking and Panels
Keynotes and panels for trade audiences, corporate clients, and consumer events. A TEDx speaker who can pair category education with business strategy.
Brand, Program, and Venue Consultation
Building a spirits program, opening a cigar friendly venue, or repositioning a brand for new audiences. Strategy through execution.
Terms Agencies Ask About
Content Usage Rights
Available for multiple term lengths across paid social, owned channels, and web.
Allowlisting and Paid Amplification
Available. Christy's handles can be used for paid distribution under agreed terms.
Turnaround
7 business days from approved brief to first cut. 2 rounds of revision included.
Reporting
Performance report delivered within [X] days of campaign close, covering reach, engagement, saves, shares, and click through.
Credentials and Expertise
Industry certified. Stage tested.
Certifications and Roles
Executive Bourbon Steward, Stave and Thief Society
Certified Bourbon Professional, Council of Whiskey Masters
Certified Cigar Sommelier Tobacconist, Tobacconist University
Tennessee Ambassador, Bourbon Women's Association
Trustee, The Whiskey House Nashville
Stage and Media
Main stage speaker, Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Speaker, Jim Beam Institute
TEDx speaker
Featured in Forbes, CNN Business, Business Insider, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company
Signature Speaking Topics
Bourbon, Whiskey, and Cigar Education and Trends
From grain to glass to ring gauge, with depth that holds a trade room and accessibility that holds a consumer one.
Reaching New Drinkers: Women and Diverse Communities in Whiskey Culture
Where category growth is actually coming from, and how brands earn it without getting it wrong.
Building Inclusive Premium Experiences
How event organizers and brand managers design tastings and activations that feel elevated and welcoming at the same time.
Brand Development and Authentic Storytelling
Frameworks for building credibility and audience trust in the premium lifestyle space.
Building Networks and Teams Through Experiences
Teaching executives how to build profitable networks and teams through whiskey and cigar experiences.
About Christy
Christy Pruitt-Haynes is the founder of The Whiskey And Cigar Chic.
She holds certifications from the three bodies that matter in this category: Executive Bourbon Steward from the Stave and Thief Society, Certified Bourbon Professional from the Council of Whiskey Masters, and Certified Cigar Sommelier Tobacconist from Tobacconist University.
She also spent over 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive and consultant. Brand and agency teams get a partner who understands campaign objectives, brand guidelines, legal review, and deadlines. Briefs don't have to be translated for her.
Her work has been featured in Forbes, CNN Business, and Business Insider. She speaks on the main stage at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and at the Jim Beam Institute, and she is a TEDx speaker. She serves as Tennessee Ambassador for the Bourbon Women's Association and as a trustee of The Whiskey House Nashville.
She designs premium brand experiences ranging from intimate executive gatherings to conferences of 2,000 people. Her audience trusts her because she tells the truth about what is in the glass, and that trust is what transfers to the brands she works with.
Start a Conversation
Tell us the objective, the market, the date, and the budget range, and you will get a scoped proposal back.
Christy@TheWhiskeyAndCigarChic.com
Phone
615-212-5263
Website
TheWhiskeyAndCigarChic.com
Instagram & TikTok
@thewhiskeyandcigarchic
The Whiskey And Cigar Chic