Bourbon bottles honoring Deputy Brad Reckling keep selling out, profits donated to family

Liquor store honors Deputy Brad Reckling with custom bourbon bottles

Benstein Liquor partnered with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and Reckling's family to etch his badge into Woodford Reserve Bourbon bottles. The profits will go directly to his family.

COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - It's not just any whiskey. It's a tribute to Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley Reckling, who was fatally shot in the line of duty late June.

Benstein Liquor, a store in Commerce Township, "wanted to make sure his legacy lives on," according to their Instagram. So they partnered with the sheriff's office and Reckling's family to etch his badge into Woodford Reserve Bourbon bottles.

Reckling, a nine-year veteran of the force, was part of the sheriff's office's stolen vehicle unit. On Saturday, June 22, the unit was called for a vehicle investigation after a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was stolen from Red Oaks Waterpark in Madison Heights during the day.

That night, around 10:50 p.m., Reckling was behind the stolen Equinox in the area of Schoenherr and Park Grove streets on Detroit's east side when the vehicle suddenly stopped and the occupants got out. The suspects started shooting, hitting Reckling in the head and chest.

Bradley Reckling and his family (Photo: OCSO)

The 31-year-old deputy leaves behind three daughters and a wife who is pregnant with their fourth child.

Profits from the bottle sales will go directly to Reckling's family.

"We’ve got to do something. Especially being the same age as him and having kids, we got to figure something out," said the owner of Benstein Liquor, Fady Mansour. "I reached out to one of our engravers from Woodford and said ‘why don’t we do something for this family?’"

Deputy Bradley Reckling's badge etched into Woodford Reserve Bourbon bottles. Profits will go directly to his family.

And every time the bottles hit the shelves, the store has not been able to keep them in stock for very long – even though they can only be purchased in-store, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The first shipment of more than 100 bottles sold out in about 15 minutes.

"We got those in and sold them out in 15 minutes. I’ve received over four to 5,000 phone calls, emails, texts. Everyone has something connected to Brad," Mansour said. "So we had a second shipment yesterday – 144 bottles, (sold in) 20 minutes."

Mansour says the liquor store has raised almost $1,000 for the family so far. The goal is $10,000.

It’s a way to give back to a deputy who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his community, according to the owner.

"They always help us out, especially the police officers always looking for the store, people, making sure everyone is OK," Mansour said. "People are afraid of cops, (but) they’re here to help us, and we’ve got to help them out too."

Deputy Bradley Reckling (Photo: OCSO)

Mansour is planning to bring in a shipment each week. Those interested in purchasing a bottle can stay up-to-date on shipments via Benstein Liquor's Facebook and Instagram.

In connection with the case, 18-year-old Karim Moore has been charged with lying to a police officer and resisting arrest. Two other suspects are currently in custody.

Donations to the family can still be made to the fundraiser that the Oakland County Sheriff's Office created after Reckling's murder: Mission Oakland.