The Whiskey Mistress Talks Craft Whiskey
CRAFTY-ISH
So…what is “Craft Whiskey,” anyway?
When I began talking about Craft Whiskey five years ago, it went something like this:
“Just like the craft brewing industry has revolutionized beer as we know it, because the brewers are becoming very creative in their techniques and flavors, the same thing is happening in Whiskeydom, but because it’s so much more time consuming, laborious and expensive to do, there’s only a few people actually doing it and doing it well…”
Yeah…that just isn’t the case anymore. There are countless small Whiskey-makers, distillers, experimenters, engineers and blenders working their mashbills off to make something that is new, interesting, and generally skillfully created to please me, you, and every other Whiskey-lover out there. I don’t like that.
I love that.
The only problem (if I really must create one so as to write about it), is that while there used to be some fairly defined boundaries in Whiskey varieties, ie: Irish, Canadian, Bourbon, Tennessee (no, I’m not gonna get into that argument with you here), Scotch, Rye, etc, the term “Craft Whiskey” has somehow become the basket into which all the more indefinable ones are tossed. Well, by most people, anyway.
The American Distilling Institute (ADI) defines “craft spirits” as “the products of an independently-owned distillery with maximum annual sales of 52,000 cases, where the product is physically distilled and bottled on site.”
That’s all well and fine, but when you get right down to it, isn’t anything that is “crafted” really something that’s created with great concern and care? And, doesn’t that mean by extrapolation that even a large Whiskey producer could be creating truly fine “crafted” Whiskey?
Yes. It may just end up being a matter of semantics, in my mind and even in Whiskeydom.
As I’ve said so many times before, I’m primarily interested in what’s inside the bottle, and if a Whiskey maker is bottling a fine product and meets the standards and regulations for whatever product they are claiming is inside then I’m probably interested. In the meantime, I have come across some truly – by definition – craft Whiskeys that will knock your socks off!
So…. hang onto your socks, cuz I’m gonna list a few:
- Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky
This is by far my sentimental favorite (for reasons that shall remain a mystery to you here), but it’s also one of my all time top five favorite whiskies for other reasons. It’s by far the most interesting Whiskey I have ever tasted and if you know me you know I love an interesting Whiskey . Rick Wasmund has really created a gem here. He had a dream – to make a uniquely American single malt – and he’s done it! The barley used for Wasmund’s Single Malt was developed by Virginia Tech. It’s floor malted and then smoked with select American apple and cherry woods. On the nose this one is fruity and earthy, like a forest floor! The flavor is alright – but the finish will knock your socks off! It’s a literal 10 minute cascade of smoky and sweet, smoky and sweet. Every time I’ve had the privilege of sharing this with someone we talk about it for 10 or 15 minutes because it is so interesting! The only place I know you can still get it in Los Angeles is Wade’s Wines in Agoura Hills, and it’s only $35 a bottle – a crazy bargain given the very small batches in which it’s made. You can also get it online. And, really, you should get it. It will be like no Whiskey you’ve ever tasted before.
- Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
In my mind Stranahan’s is one of the pioneers of fine American Craft Whiskey and for a very long time supply vs demand meant you could only get it in Colorado. In fact, every bottle of Stranahan’s I’ve ever had has been a gift from a friend or a fan. Most Colorado Whiskies are pretty good in my mind but Stranahan’s is exceptionally good. Back when they were just starting out, they got a little bit of good publicity and suddenly you couldn’t find it anywhere in LA! You couldn’t even buy it online! As of last summer it has been available at most of the larger Happy Juice stores for around $60-70 a bottle. Certainly well worth it – you won’t be disappointed with this one!
- Sonoma County 100% Rye Whiskey
Yes I know Sonoma County is wine country… but what if it was also Whiskey country? The nice folks over at Sonoma County Distillers are making a true grain-to-glass 100% rye Whiskey that is simply outstanding – one of the finest ryes I’ve ever tasted. They are producing two expressions and while they are both quite good, I do prefer the barrel proof one. Their Whiskey isn’t widely available yet but if you go to their website you can certainly track it down or order it straight from the source.
Craft. It’s just a word isn’t it?
Whiskey. So much more.