Matthew Allen

“Whiskey with a Florida Flair”

When Matthew “Matt” Allen co-founded Dark Door Spirits just north of Tampa International Airport in Florida in 2016, he was not setting out to become just another craft distiller. His mission was more personal: to craft whiskey that broke from tired traditions while still respecting the long arc of American distilling. That mission would eventually gain national traction through partnerships with platforms like For Whiskey Lovers and collaborations with local taverns, but it had humble beginnings—rooted not in family heritage or bootleg folklore, but in curiosity and chemistry.

Allen was born and raised in Florida and pursued a career in engineering before ever touching a copper still. His professional background was steeped in process design, logistics, and technical efficiency, all skills that would later serve him well in production. The spark for whiskey making came not from a mentor or family lineage but through experimentation in brewing and fermentation, a hobby that gradually turned into a serious pursuit.

The pivotal moment in his transition from enthusiast to professional distiller came when he met Brandon Marshall, a marketing and branding professional with a flair for storytelling. Allen and Marshall connected through local business circles in Tampa in about 2015. Marshall was not a distiller, but he saw something in Matt’s quietly obsessive approach to flavor development. The two shared a belief that Florida deserved a whiskey identity beyond tourist-themed gimmicks or tropical-flavored spirits. They agreed to build a brand that focused on craftsmanship, transparency, and innovation.

In 2016, they officially launched their company under the name Dark Door Spirits. Allen took the role of head distiller and operations lead, while Marshall managed branding, creative direction, and business growth. From the beginning, whiskey—not gin, rum, or vodka—was at the center of their vision, even if the laws and financial constraints of startup distilling required them to make other spirits in the meantime.

Dark Door’s early whiskey work included sourcing high-quality grain and experimenting with barrel finishing techniques not typically seen in Florida’s distilling scene. Florida’s heat created the unique aging conditions of rapid extraction, higher evaporation, and accelerated interaction between spirit and wood. Allen leaned into this rather than fighting it, constantly adjusting barrel placement, char levels, and mash bill ratios. Their first major whiskey release, Spirit of Oak, featured a bold bourbon profile with toasted oak influence and quickly gained attention in local markets.

The growth of Dark Door’s whiskey line received a major boost when their products were added to ForWhiskeyLovers.com, a prominent online distribution and retail platform dedicated specifically to craft whiskey. This partnership allowed Allen’s bottles to reach enthusiasts far outside Florida, giving Dark Door national visibility without relying on traditional large-scale distributors. Spirit of Oak, as well as follow-up whiskey releases like Spirit of the Harvest, began appearing in online tasting clubs, retailer newsletters, and whiskey subscription programs.

Meanwhile, Allen and Marshall continued refining their presence in Florida’s whiskey community. They hosted barrel tastings, collaborated with bars and cigar lounges, and released limited single-barrel projects. Allen became known for his experimental approach in trying uncommon grains like spelt, experimenting with smoke infusions, and even working with local farms for small-batch harvest whiskeys. While some of Dark Door’s lineup included gin and liqueurs, Allen consistently emphasized that whiskey was the brand’s identity.