Its that time of year again– New York City Indie Spirits Expo! As you might remember, last year I covered my top ten favorite spirits from the festival. This year there were even more spirits and even less time to taste, so I prioritized trying booze from new and different distilleries.
Here are some of the exceptionally interesting spirits that I loved and that you should try if you have the chance:
Catoctin Creek Rye — Cask Strength
This was my favorite spirit of the night. Coming from Purcellville, Virginia, it’s made from entirely organic rye. It’s aged in 30 gallon barrels, and it’s amazing.
The nose has a little bit of the pear smell that’s also present in single malts, but it’s more robust and buttery. It certainly has some of the classic rye spices on the taste, along with green apple, tobacco and port wine notes.
The cask strength is limited release, but the 92 proof and 80 proof versions are more easily available, and delicious as well. They are a little bit sweeter and slightly bourbon-y, even though they’re all 100% rye.
Berkshire Mountain Distillers — Bourbon Smoke and Peat
If you like bourbon and smoky Islay scotch, you’d be missing out if you didn’t try this.
To make the Berkshire Bourbon Smoke and Peat, the distillers start with their bourbon recipe, made with locally sourced corn, and after it’s been aged in new oak, it’s put it in freshly used Laphroaig casks.
(For us whiskey nerds, the mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% barley)
The nose is light and floral, more like a bourbon. Just smelling it, you’d have no idea that it’s flavor is primarily smoked peat over a classic, vanilla-y bourbon, with a little bit of wood spice. Berkshire Bourbon and Peat is a perfect merging of scotch and corn whiskey. It’s like when two celebrities have a gorgeous, smart baby that looks like it might take over the world someday. Like George and Amal Clooney’s babies. That’s what this is like.
Well, I’m fudging things a little bit here, because all their aged rums are great. The 5 year rum is more like a bourbon, but the 12 year is on the more on the spicy, grassy, tobacco side while still being sweet. All their products have slight sea air and coconut notes, which I was told is from the particular water source they use in Barbados. The 10 year limited is a little on the unique side because it’s a blend of years, the youngest of which is 10 years old. It’s more molasses and eucalyptus-y, but only 3000 bottles were released, so good luck finding that one before it’s gone! I have Foursquare Distillery’s Port Cask aged rum at home which is super tasty, and could nearly fool you for a whiskey. That one’s limited too, but my point here is that any rum you get from The Real McCoy/Foursquare Distillery is bound to be worth it.
Aside from all the good things their rum does for your taste buds, Foursquare Distillery is also a no-waste distillery. Their labels are made from recycled paper, they take the leftover distillate, filter it and use it to water the sugar cane which eventually becomes rum. They’ve really thought it all out.
Breuckelen Distilling — Bottled in Bond First Release Wheated Bourbon Project
I’d tried Breuckelen’s Local Rye and Corn before (it’s great, btw), but I had no idea that they don’t regularly do bourbon. I was even more confused that they don’t regularly do bourbon when I tried their bourbon project, because it’s fantastic. How does a distillery that doesn’t regularly do bourbon make a bourbon like….. this? And this is their first bourbon project too. What.
It’s rosy and floral, dry and grain-forward, with hints of cherry medicine. Looking at that description you’re probably thinking that it doesn’t sound much like a bourbon. Well, looking at the mash bill, its 60% corn, 20% red wheat, 20% barley. That red wheat makes a huge difference and creates an entirely different flavor profile than a normal bourbon.
It’s a limited release, and I’m waiting on the edge of my seat for whenever they put out a next one.
(Hey, Breuckelen distillers, if you’re reading this, could you make an Empire Rye? Pretty please?)
I didn’t even know Applejack was a thing until this past year, but it’s been around as long as the New World, and Barking Irons is carrying on that tradition. It started long ago when apples were one of the cheapest and easiest things to grow, and people froze apple cider barrels to remove the water. Voila, that’s the invention of Applejack!
Barking Irons Applejack is made from New York apples, and left to age in 10 gallon barrels (that’s small!). The finished product is one that’s heavy on the tongue with apple flavor–obviously– but also some baking spices, saltine cracker, and a little bit of savory cheese notes like you might get from a Barbera wine. I haven’t had many Applejacks, but this one is definitely top of my list.
Balsam Private Reserve Vermouth
When I think of vermouth, I think of a Manhattan or a Martini. I generally don’t think of it as something to be had by itself, but that’s actually how you should be drinking vermouth, or at least good vermouth.
The Private Reserve Vermouth is certainly one that you can drink by itself; it feels almost like a cocktail in a bottle. A little tangy and funky like kombucha, a hint of savoriness and apricots. It’s the world’s first hand-picked, ice-wine-based vermouth, y’all. This is big.
I only had the chance to try one of their vermouths, but Balsam makes plenty more, an Amaro even. I think this whole concept is very fascinating because many people want to go straight into the whiskey business because that’s where all the buzz is, but there’s very interesting spirits to be had which aren’t being talked about enough.
Don Ciccio & Figli — Finocchietto Artisanal Fennel and Dill Liqueur
Speaking of hidden gems of spirits, Don Ciccio & Figli are making very unique Italian spirits out of Washington D.C. The family business has real Italian roots in the Amalfi coast, and they’re continuing traditions and carrying on family recipes today.
Finocchietto means “wild fennel” and this liqueur is made of fennel and dill. I’d say that it’s most distinctive flavor is dill, but if you keep sipping, you get absinthe notes from the fennel. There’s hints of sweet pea and black licorice as well. It’s an absolutely unique kind of spirit that I didn’t know existed before the Indie Spirits Expo, and next time I’m in D.C. I’ll be down to their tasting room to try the rest of their products.
I ran out of time to try Black Dirt Distillery‘s products, but it’s okay because I have a bourbon and a rye of theirs at home! I am eagerly awaiting their Empire Rye, which I expect will be phenomenal, as is customary with anything made at Black Dirt Distillery.
If you’re lucky enough to try any of these spirits, or if you’ve already tried them, I’d be interested to hear what you think. As always, I’m open for suggestions and recommendations as to what I should try or review next.
And now, I sit and wait until next year’s Indie Spirits Expo. 363 days to go.
