Editor’s Note: A post I did last week on Hatfield & McCoy Whiskey and those behind it drew quite a bit of comments around legitimacy issues from Mark Hatfield and his supporters. I have no opinion on this as the author of The Whiskey Wash, but at the request of one of the parties involved here is a prepared statement from them about the whiskey’s origins. Please note comments are disabled at this time in order to keep this a civil discussion – thank you for your understanding.
Statement from Courtney Quick-McCoy and John T. Hatfield, both direct descendents of the Hatfield and McCoy clans, on behalf of the Hatfield & McCoy Alliance, LLC
The Hatfield & McCoy Alliance, LLC, a West Virginia-based limited liability company (“Alliance”) and The Legendary Hatfield & McCoy Family Brand, LLC, a Missouri-based limited liability company (“Legendary”), were created through a collaboration between the Hatfield and McCoy families of West Virginia and Kentucky and documented last year on a History Channel reality program entitled “Hatfields & McCoys: White Lightning.” During the show, the two families agreed to come together and create and sell products under the Legendary brand.
This brand and its mission and all products that will derive from it are under the complete control of the local members of both families right here in West Virginia and Kentucky and the proceeds will come right back to the families and support the local economy. Every decision involves both families who legally agreed to work together to develop a family brand and, most importantly, to have the name ‘Legendary Hatfield and McCoy’ trademarked in order to contain any illegitimate use of the family names.
Marcus (Mark) C. Hatfield is the Managing Member of the Alliance. Mark Hatfield was fully aware of the identity of each and every McCoy descendent included in the Alliance at the time of its formation and fully approved of each member. Mark Hatfield never at any time voiced any question as to the authenticity of the members of the Alliance representing the McCoy clan; at all times acknowledging that all such members are indeed direct McCoy family descendents.
The Alliance (with full knowledge and approval of Mark Hatfield) entered into an Intellectual Property Assignment and License-Back Agreement with Legendary on August 21, 2013. This agreement, executed by Mark Hatfield on behalf of any and all descendents of the Hatfield clan, includes an irrevocable assignment of any and all intellectual property rights held by the Hatfield and McCoy clans; such assignment being granted to Legendary in perpetuity.
Legendary applied for and has approval from the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) for numerous trademarks utilizing the Hatfield and McCoy family names, including, among numerous others, “Hatfield & McCoy Moonshine” and “Hatfield & McCoy Whiskey.” Legendary has held the approved trademarks for more than a year.
Currently, The Alliance and Legendary are working to get The Legendary Hatfield & McCoy Family Brand Whiskey on store shelves across the country. The Legendary Hatfield & McCoy Family Brand Whiskey is a product borne of the traditions, recipes and input of direct descendents of the McCoy and Hatfield clans.
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The Hatfield and McCoy story is a big part of American history and we believe this brand and the products we create under our names will be successful from coast to coast. We’ve already launched the product in Florida and it will be available in New Jersey starting October 8. We are meeting with distributors in nearly a dozen other states, including West Virginia and Kentucky.
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