Month 2019
Event / City STATE
Located.
Known.
https://www.
March 2019
Golden Moon / Golden CO
Located in Golden CO
Known
https://www
March 2019
10th Mountain Distilling / Gypsum CO
Located .
Known .
https://www.
March 2019
Deerhammer / Buena Vista CO
Located.
Known .
https://www.
March 2019
Wood’s Mountain Distillery / Salida CO
Located.
Known.
https://www.
March 2019
ADI 2019 Distillery Tour / Denver CO
Located.
Known.
https://www.
March 2019
ADI 2019 Denver CO
Located.
Known.
https://www.
March 2019
Prowein 2019 / Dusseldorf Germany
Located.
Known.
https://www.
February 2019
Laird’s Applejack / Edinburgh Scotland
Located.
Known.
https://www.k
February 2019
ACSA 2019 Minneapolis MN
Located.
Known.
https://www.
February 2019
Tattersall Distillery / Minneapolis MN
Located.
Known.
https://www.
February 2019
Finest Spirits 2019 / Munich Germany
Located.
Known.
https://www.Dec
December 2018
Cayman Spirits / Grand Cayman Island
Located.
Known.
https://www.
November 2018
Spirits in the Sky 2018
Brussels, BelgiumLocated.
Known.
https://www.
October 2018
September 2018
Bar Convent Berlin 2018
With a third day added and the same problem as last year with Monday sold out, BCB2018 was still great. Worked with Laird’s from Hall 8 in a shared booth with Moletto (known for grappa and Tomato Gin) as well as meetings with other potential importers in Germany. Also spent some time with the Virginia Department of Agriculture’s stand of seven craft distillers.The Whisky Show 2018
Also a three day show, the Dad’s Hat Rye stand was in the mezzanine along with other craft products. Koval was present as was Catoctin Creek.Paris Whisky Live 2018
While Herman Mihalich worked the weekend, I covered the professionals’ day on Monday for Dad’s Hat Rye.July 2018
Dad’s Hat Rye / Bristol PA
A return visit to see Herman Mihalich as sales have increased and bottling parties are more frequent. More whiskey is being laid down and three year old product is the norm.
July 2018
Tales of the Cocktail / New Orleans
Reorganized as a non-profit organization, Tales felt slightly different this year, neither better nor worse, as all participants were trying to feel how the event would be different.
I only attend the first couple of days to network and see who from overseas attends. I also took the opportunity to meet with the SUSTA office to review how the 50% Cost Matching program may have changed.
https://talesofthecocktail.com/events/tales-cocktail-new-orleans/?2
July 2018
Willett Distillery / Bardstown KY
Located on the other side of the creek that was the old Heaven Hill Distillery, Willett has been making and now selling their own aged distillate.
Known for their sourced brands, Rowan’s Creek, Johnny Drum, and others, they’ve been making their own product from their own stills for at least the last four years.
https://www.kentuckybourbonwhiskey.com
July 2018
New Riff Distilling / Newport KY
Founded by the Party Source’s former owner, it’s an interesting venue outside of Cincinnati.
Offering free tours and despite starting with sourced whiskey for the OKI brand, their first own product will be coming out soon as a 4 year old Bottled-in-Bond!
https://newriffdistilling.com/home/
July 2018
Missouri Distillers / St. Louis Area
Wood Hat Spirits / New Florence MO
Gary and Katy Hinegardner founded Wood Hat and they’ve brought on Ryan Bort to make the whiskey. First hand experience with aging wood in the elements and the use of corn with much more flavor than yield creates an amazing palette from which to create your corn whiskies!
http://www.woodhatspirits.com
Still630 / St. Louis MO David Weglarz brings his unique sense of elan and enthusiasm that’s unbridled into making whiskey! With a downtown location that’s just blocks from the Gateway Arch, it’s got lots of potential for growth for many more visitors.
https://www.still630.com
Pinckney Bend / New Haven MO Ralph Haynes and his partners specifically created their distillery away from urban areas in this little secluded town along the Missouri River, yet laden with history of our American past. Despite this rural setting, there’s an aire of worldliness as Ralph shared stories of his Peace Corps past; much like fellow Peace Corps member, Gary Hinegardner! http://pinckneybend.com/the-team/
July 2018
IMBIBE Live! / London UK
Laird’s Applejack is represented in the UK by Amathus.
The two day event was followed by a Jack Rose competition amongst some of the best bars in the world, located in London! Lisa Laird Dunn and Laird Dunn were both over to exhibit the new Applejack 86.
http://live.imbibe.com
https://www.amathusdrinks.com
June 2018
Seattle WA Distillers:
OOLA DISTILLERYhttps://www.ooladistillery.com
COPPERWORKS DISTILLING
http://www.copperworksdistilling.com
With only a day in Seattle, I managed to meet a couple of innovative new distilleries making some interesting products.
Kirby Kallas-Lewis at OOLA makes a four grain bourbon that has unique notes in cask and reduced strengths called Waitsburg.
I met with Jeff Kanof of Copperworks and they just keep coming up with these new releases of American Single Malt that take full advantage of using new virgin charred oak barrels on their barley based recipes.
June 2018
Dry Fly Distilling / Spokane WA
Don Poffenroth and Patrick Donovan showed me how they make whiskey the Washington way, from farm to bottle, with all locally sourced grains, in a couple of German Carl pot stills.
Having been around just a bit longer than the average craft distillery, you could tell that despite their experience, they weren’t ready to call themselves “master distillers or blenders.” Modesty aside, there’s some creativity in their port finish wheat whiskey, their triticale whiskey, and their O’Danaghers Hibernian Whiskey!
http://www.dryflydistilling.com
June 2018
Cocktail Spirits, 11th edition
Paris, France
This year’s event was moved to a new, larger location, the Palais de Tokyo; perhaps in the hopes that the venue would be less crowded. Instead, stands were larger and more people showed up, compounded with the hot weather, made it extremely uncomfortable each afternoon.
Still, there was a tremendous showing of people and industry people with Dave Broom kicking off the first of the presentations. Nice job by Thierry Daniel and Eric Fossard again! Saw Dan Priseman of Four Roses and wish him well with Stillwater, south of the River in London!
http://www.cocktailspirits.com
Paris, France
April 2018
Philadelphia area Craft Distillers:
Bluebird Distilling
Manatawny Still Works
New Liberty Distillery
While back in New Jersey, I took a day trip to Philly to visit some friends and make new acquaintances from contacts made at ACSA Pittsburgh.
Dad’s Hat/Herman Mihalich in Bristol
https://dadshatrye.com
Bluebird/Jared Adkins in Phoenixville
http://bluebirddistilling.com
Manatawny Spirit Works/Max Pfeffer in Pottstown
http://manatawnystillworks.com
New Liberty/Rob Cassell in Philadelphia
https://newlibertydistillery.com
March 2018
Koval Distillery / Chicago IL
I’ve known Robert Birnecker for a few years after seeing him at the various consumer shows in Paris and London and was pleased to finally see his operations in Chicago.
I’d also just seen him the week before in Dusseldorf at Prowein where he’s taken over his own European distribution! Great job!
http://www.koval-distillery.com/newsite/
March 2018
ADI 2018 Portland OR
This was the 15th American Distilling Institute’s conference and the crowd was as large in the past. When questioned, nearly half the attendees indicated that they were still just getting started and hadn’t even started selling any products.
There was a really good showing of American single malts at this show. I really liked Wanderback, Copperworks, and Westward single malts.
http://www.distilling.com
March 2018
![Wines from Austria, Sylvia Heinrich]()
![In the new Hall 7 for craft products at Prowein]()
![In its 24th year of Prowein]()
Prowein 2018
Dusseldorf, Germany
Though primarily the preeminent wine show in Europe with many visitors from Germany, Central and Eastern Europe and beyond, its early scheduling in the year has made it a must-visit show for all importers in Europe, in wines and spirits.
Keep in mind that nearly all of these countries are smaller than California and that one importer can cover wines and spirits and there is also no three tiered market.
A sign of Prowein’s reaction to trending was a hall dedicated specifically to craft products. Not an extremely large pavilion but one large enough to exhibit many European craft gins, beers, and ciders as well as local German whiskies.
http://www.prowein.com
March 2018
ACSA 2018 Pittsburgh PA
In the 5th American Craft Spirits Association Conference, craft distillers recently got a small windfall when the FET/Federal Excise Tax for each proof gallon of spirits was reduced from $13.50 to $2.70 on the first 100,000 proof gallons; meaning if you’ve got 100 barrels @ 53 gallons in the barrel at max 62.5% abv, you’ll save almost $72,000 that doesn’t have to be paid in tax! The big question was, “How were you going to use those savings?”
Some distillers I saw last year at ACSA 2017 Nashville weren’t present this year. It’s a great expense to come to these shows for the distillers despite the possibility of learning new ideas from other distillers or the many seminars, technical and business. Coming every other year or proximity of the conference need to be taken into consideration if deciding to attend.
http://www.americancraftspirits.org
January 2018
Finest Spirits 2018 / Munich, Germany
Though bourbon was designated as the theme of this year’s event, there were few stands showing bourbon and most of the bourbons were being shown by Mike’s Whiskyhandel who imports a few cases of each just for his retail shop.
He does have a few craft products like Catoctin Creek, FEW Spirits, and Garrison Brothers as well as a few other products like Blood Oath, Ezra Brooks, High West, Michter’s, and Rebel Yell.
http://www.finest-spirits-muenchen.de
January 2018
St. Augustine Distillery / St. Augustine FL
Built out of an old ice factory, and on the Red Train trolley tour of St. Augustine, Philip McDaniel and Mike Diaz are making waves and bourbon in Florida.
Their bourbons are finished either with a locally provided (Florida) Port Barrel finish or in a second barrel for a Double Cask! I couldn’t get enough of that port barrel finish.
http://staugustinedistillery.com
December 2017
Boston Harbor Distillery / Boston MA
Rhonda Kallman’s creating some fabulous brands out of the old Putnam horseshoe nail factory there in south Boston.
Named after their namesake factory, Putnam New England Whiskey comes in two varieties, Rye and a single Malt, that are both delicious. I especially liked the peatiness of the single malt.
http://www.bostonharbordistillery.com/
October 2017
Laird’s Applejack / Scobeyville NJ
A storied company with a long tradition, I recall trying Laird’s Applejack while in college at football games.
It was a real treat to visit the local New Jersey company and see a piece of history. It’s another category that has Bottled-in-Bond products!
http://lairdandcompany.com
September 2017
Claremont Distillery / Fairfield NJ
Tim Koether’s distillery is just 20 miles from home and I thought I’d visit the nearest distillery.
He’s making a lot of whiskey and he’ll have plenty of product when it becomes of age. In the meantime, he’s got an interesting five grain bourbon of corn, barley, rye, wheat and oats called Tracks & Rails.
http://claremontdistillery.com
July 2017
London, UK
IMBIBE Live 2017
The top on-trade trade show in London; this includes beer, soft drinks, wines, and spirits all in the hotel, restaurant, and catering trades/HORECA.
Mostly a show for the UK market. I was lucky enough to be able to sit in on a Japanese whisky tasting given by Dave Broom!
http://live.imbibe.com
February 2017
Finest Spirits 2017 / Munich, Germany
An annual event held at the Munich Transportation Museum, they’re unlike US events as these are multiple day events usually held over a weekend. It’s much easier to taste and savour when you’re not in a hurry.
He does have a few craft products like Catoctin Creek, FEW Spirits, and Garrison Brothers as well as a few other products like Blood Oath, Ezra Brooks, High West, Michter’s, and Rebel Yell.
http://www.finest-spirits-muenchen.de
January 2017
Catoctin Creek Distilling / Purcellville VA
Scott and Becky Harris are making some fine ryes just outside of Washington DC.
They’ve been around long enough to have a Bottled-in-Bond product! Again, the bottle I bought ended up as a gift to my hosts while I was in the DC area. Rats!
https://catoctincreekdistilling.com
January 2017
Garrison Brothers / Hye TX
Dan Garrison hand signs every one of his bottles and there’s a waiting list of people who volunteer and do bottling parties!
A Texas bourbon that spends its first year in a barrel aging in a 20’ container in the hot Texas sun will get you some flavor for sure. And watch for the rattlesnakes in the warehouses! Really.
http://www.garrisonbros.com
December 2016
Spirit Works Distillery / Sebastopol CA
Husband and wife team of Ashby and Timo Marshall started this distillery and specialize in a spirit called sloe gin, more common to Timo’s UK heritage.
They’ve got vodka and gin but have also been planning for the future with rye and wheat whiskies laid down and waiting for aging.
https://www.spiritworksdistillery.com
December 2016
![This is it, I've found the right place]()
![Barrels and holding tanks at Sonoma County]()
![Adam Spiegel and his babies, his alembic pot stills]()
Sonoma County Distilling / Rohnert Park CA
Meeting Adam Spiegel through the years in Paris and London whisky shows and having the same importers, we finally met in Rohnert Park to get a real feel for the pot stills that Adam lovingly uses to make his whiskies.
While I was visiting, they were in the process of expanding to a new, larger building to accommodate growth!
http://sonomacountydistilling.com
December 2016
High Wire Distilling / Charleston SC
Scott Blackwell’s doing some really interesting stuff, coming from a culinary background and using locally sourced grains like Jimmy Red.
I bought a bottle of his Sorghum whiskey which I ended up giving away as a house gift on my next travel stop. Too bad I couldn’t carry more than one bottle. Next time! Sorry Scott, no photos!
http://highwiredistilling.squarespace.com
November 2016
East London Liquor Company / UK
Alex Wolpert is doing some amazing things in his urban London distillery, making gin again in London and representing all things craft.
But despite starting off with gin as the UK is known for, vodka and rum, he’s also making whisky and laying it down now and not sourcing any whisky for his brand. Sorry Alex, no photos! Next time.
http://eastlondonliquorcompany.com/ourstory.html
November 2016
Spirits in the Sky 2016
Brussels, Belgium
The pre-eminent consumer whisky trade show in Belgium is run by The Nectar, one of my old business partners.
Though the country is small and complicated with two languages, it’s whisky that brings them all together.
https://thenectar.be
https://www.spiritsinthesky.be
October 2016
Widow Jane Distillery / Brooklyn NY
Located in Brooklyn, it was easy enough to go visit but the hardest part was finding parking.
Associated with the Cacao Prieto Chocolate Factory, I met Roger Rodriguez in Paris at Whisky Live 2016.
http://widowjane.com
October 2016
Westland Distillery / Seattle WA
After meeting Matt Hofmann and Andrew Madderson in Paris at Whisky Live 2016, it was worth a visit to come see and learn all about American Single Malt.
An impressive showroom with only a fraction of the barrels that they’ve been laying down, the facility is used for weddings and events. They’re really doing some innovative stuff with barley and different woods!
http://www.westlanddistillery.com
October 2016
O. Z. Tyler Distillery / Owensboro KY
After many years, the old Medley Distillery was bought by Terressentia and revived to make Kentucky bourbon again in Owensboro.
The TerrePure process enhances the flavor of bourbon with a unique patented process.
https://oztylerdistillery.com
Dad’s Hat Rye / Bristol PA
Herman Mihalich and John Cooper are bringing back the true Pennsylvania Rye outside of Philadelphia in Bristol.
I joined them for a bottling party with a hair dryer in hand.
http://www.dadshatrye.com