NMSU Is Only D1 School With Licensed Whiskey, Wine, and Beer

There is no denying the fact that it has been a tough last few months for NMSU Athletics. Their football season was moved to the Spring after a majority of opponents canceled due to COVID. New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham also has a state public health order in place which prohibits schools in the state from practicing or competing in athletics. At least Aggies fans can drink away their sorrows.

Last night, the school introduced their own line of whiskey at Dry Point Distillers, a Las Cruces-owned distillery. Aggie alum Chris Schaefer has been working with Mario Moccia for months on the project, and they collaborated on Pistol Pete's Six-Shooter Rye Whiskey. It is aged five years and NMSU becomes the first Division 1 school to offer an officially licensed bottle of whiskey.

"This is a win-win-win for everyone involved," NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia said in the official release. "So many small businesses have had a rough road during the pandemic. With Pistol Pete's Six-Shooter, we're able to work with a small business, owned by someone who graduated from NMSU, and help them launch a product that benefits the university and our student-athletes."

Last month, NMSU and New Mexico-based Lescombes Winery introduced Pistol Pete's Crimson Legacy, a cabernet sauvignon that will be available all over the state. They are one of only eight colleges or universities in the country with an officially licensed wine.

The Aggies venture into alcohol began in 2017 when Bosque Brewing introduced Pistol Pete's 1888 Ale. That beer won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival. The wine and whiskey are sure to be hot sellers and Moccia has done a phenomenal job making the most of his licensing fees, while generating close to $150,000 for NMSU.

As tough as 2020 has been for the Aggies athletically, the next time they take to the field or court and win, fans will have plenty of choices as to which Pistol Pete's beverage they would like to celebrate with.