‘Tis the time of year again when thoughts turn to gifts and drinking, not necessarily in that order. This year, I’ve been sent a few very nice tipples from a couple lovely local distilleries, one in Colorado and one in New York (both of which I’ll tell you about below). This got me to thinking how, beyond small wineries and microbreweries, small local distillers have become a reality all over the US. One important component to this has been due to the loosening of some shipping restrictions after the height of the (ongoing) Covid pandemic; it’s finally possible to have booze shipped across state lines to most places.
The big challenge to discovering small local distillers is that the politics and business involved in the national beverage distribution companies often makes it impossible for the little guys to get much notice beyond their region. But they’re out there, you just have to look! One thing to know is that in areas with existing wine growing/making regions, you’ll often find small distillers popping up because the local regulations make it a bit easier and they can often work with output from their vintner associates. In the SF Bay Area where I live, St. George Spirits has been a trailblazer in that respect. And in the CA Central Coast region, around the Paso Robles wine region, there are also a number of great distilleries (a couple of which I’ll mention below).
My point (other than having an excuse to review some very fine spirits) is, like with so many other products, to urge folks to buy local. There are well over 2,00o craft distillers in the US and it’s pretty likely that almost anywhere you live, there’s at least one small distillery with people who are total geeks making really good booze nearby (check out this map on the Distillery Trail website). Search them out, have an enjoyable tasting day, perhaps sign up for their club where you promise to buy their latest releases every few months (this is how most such operations thrive – through what is, in effect, a subscription program), and enjoy. Then, buy bottles for your friends and co-workers. Everybody wins!
With all that said, here are a few distilleries from around the country whose spirits I’ve had the opportunity to sample. Consider seeking them out online and ordering their products:
King’s County Distillery, Brooklyn, New York
The fine folks at King’s County sent me their Core Whisky Gift Set ($75), which includes 200ml bottles of their Blended Bourbon, their Straight Bourbon, and their Coffee Whiskey, as well as a couple other treats. Here are my tasting notes:
Blended Bourbon
Light, mellow, sweet; a classic corn-strong bourbon. Excellent for mixing, and an easy sipper.
Straight Bourbon
Still corn, but added oaky depth on the nose. Barley adds an enjoyable journey to the tasting. The age sends you on a longer, more delightful journey. Gentle warmth and a trip to the fields.
Coffee Bourbon
Amazing rush of freshly ground coffee layered on the bourbon nose and then a hint of cocoa. Taste is a caress of dark chocolate and coffee. The bourbon just sits underneath it all in support. Almost no burn, just a satisfying and unique flavor that will make for some interesting cocktail adaptations. Must try this in an old fashioned to see if it becomes something amazing.
Peated Bourbon
Very gentle nose, with just a hint of the moors. Sweet corn on the first taste and then the peat comes sneaking in on the sides of your tongue. Very accessible for a peated whiskey.
Barrel Strength Rye
Classic rye nose, not overwhelming. The sip washes through your mouth with a high-proof tidal wave of heat and plum. Will delight anyone who loves a good rye.
Breckenridge Distillery, Breckenridge, Colorado
One hears that there is good water up in the Rocky Mountains and from good water (plus a few other ingredients) comes good whiskey. Indeed, Breckenridge has something like 16 different whiskies available, including some very exotic special barrel finishes and a malt mash whisky that sounds amazing. They sent me two of their bourbons to try; here are my tasting notes:
Blended Bourbon
A sweet, gentle, highly accessible bourbon that’s perfect for anyone new to bourbon.
High Proof Blend
Delicious up front butterscotch and high proof warmth that embraces you. A full-bodied molasses slide with hints of clove that slowly fades away and leaves you wanting another sip.
Calwise Spirits Co., Paso Robles, California
If you’re traveling down highway 101 through San Luis Obispo county, do yourself a favor and seek out Calwise for a tasting. It’s just off the highway in a section of Raso Robles (world famous for wine-making since the 2004 movie Sideways kicked Merlot in the shins) that’s filled with small wineries, breweries, and distilleries. You can find something for almost every taste at Calwise, from amazing gins and rums, to aperitifs and mixers made with the freshest ingredients that will put the big label products you get from your big box liquor store to shame.
If you couldn’t tell, my family are part of Calwise’s regular spirit club, and every release is a delight. Right now, for the holidays, they have a cranberry gin that you’ll want to sip neat, and a spiced rum that will put everyone off the artificial drek that usually gets called “spiced.” Their Calpari (get it?) makes the best negronis and boulevariers (especially when paired with their Big Sur Gin and Axe Hole Whiskey).
But if you’re going to try one thing, it should be their Anniversary Rum (that’s a picture of the bottle we took with us to Kauai this summer). They use a solara method for aging their dark rum in a variety of spirit casks and the results are sublime. All you’ll want to do with is is make a rum old-fashioned and sip it at the beach.
The thing to realize is that you can find small distilleries all over. Most of them are run by people who got into the business because they are distilling geeks, bringing a passion for the science and the art of making spirits to their work, and then sharing that work with everyone they can find. They love to meet new people and get a chance to show them how amazingly good small-batch spirits can be.
And now, just because I like to republish it every one in a while, here is the recipe one of our readers sent me over 10 years ago for a drink that has become a tradition in our annual friends and family holiday party. Enjoy!
Jeremy’s Family Boilo Recipe
1 lemon
1 orange
3 2″ cinnamon sticks
1 bear (10 to 12 oz.) of honey
1 Tbl caraway seeds
1 can (12 oz.) of ginger ale
1 bottle (750ml) cheap whiskey (80 proof)
- Slice the lemon and orange in half.
- Squeeze juice from both into pot.
- Throw both rinds into pot.
- Combine the cinnamon sticks, caraway seeds, and honey in pot as well.
- Add ginger ale until it covers all the other ingredients in mix (usually one can’s worth).
- Heat until foamy and boiling.
- Take pot off heat and add whiskey.
- Reheat to just before it all boils over, strain, and serve.
BE SURE NOT TO LET THE WHISKEY MIXTURE BOIL OVER. IT ***WILL*** CATCH ON FIRE!
Click through to read all of “Holiday Spirits Recommendations – This Year Drink and Gift Local” at GeekDad.If you value content from GeekDad, please support us via Patreon or use this link to shop at Amazon. Thanks!
