The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
It is time for a change! Fee Brothers handpicked an upstate New York distillery to provide barrels for its Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters and the first batch is now on the market for distribution. The decision to partner with Iron Smoke Distillery comes after years of Fee Brothers purchasing bourbon barrels from Kentucky-based distilleries.
“We are in the position where we can be strategic about new projects—like this one with Iron Smoke,” said Jon Spacher, CEO of Fee Brothers. “Iron Smoke is a great company–on the rise–and the founder is the kind of guy we like to do business with. Tommy Brunett is true to his word. He is dedicated to making the finest world-class products possible—and he does!”
Iron Smoke Distillery is a New York State farm distillery located approximately twelve miles from the Fee Brothers headquarters in Rochester, New York. Iron Smoke’s internationally acclaimed bourbon has a “touch of smokey goodness” and has won double gold in the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition plus has scored a 95.5 in Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible.
“Once we finish aging our bourbon in a barrel, there’s a good deal of whiskey flavor left inside with delicious notes of vanilla and oak, etc.,” said Tommy Brunett, Co-Owner of Iron Smoke Distillery. “That’s what makes our barrels perfect for aging other great elixirs, like Fee Brothers bitters, in addition to beers and wines. We are huge fans of Fee Brothers and we stand on our barrels and salute them for affording us this opportunity to work with them.”
Tommy Brunett started Iron Smoke Distillery in 2011. He came up with the concept for “smoked” bourbon while barbecuing in his backyard. Soon after, he rented an empty factory in Fairport, New York, hired a master distiller, and went to nearby farmers to buy ingredients. Fee Brothers is a fifth-generation, family-owned company which has grown into a world leader in the cocktail bitters industry.
“Fee Brothers is all about making the perfect cocktail, so it makes perfect sense for us to partner with a local distillery, with such high accolades, for our whiskey barrel-aged bitters,” said Spacher. “This arrangement serves both businesses well, but really, the true winner is going to be the cocktail drinker.”
To produce the whiskey barrel-aged flavor, Fee Brothers secures empty, white oak barrels which have stored whiskey for three years or more. The batch maker fills the barrels with Old Fashion Aromatic bitters and stores them for approximately 12 months. Slowly, the bitters mature and become Whiskey-Barrel Aged bitters. When ready, the bitters are bottled in 5-ounce containers, wrapped with a distinct label, and sold to distributors.
“For this first batch, Iron Smoke provided 42 barrels. We were able to produce 2,600 cases of bitters which is double what we used to make. We know that this batch will be gone soon, so next year, we plan to get 100 barrels from Iron Smoke. That means we will create 6,000 cases,” remarked Spacher.
The recent cocktail revival has boosted sales of fine bitters, brines, and cordial syrups in domestic and international markets. Fee Brothers, which also produces cocktail mixes and botanical waters, sits in a sweet spot where its reputation for quality products translates into unparalleled demand and unbridled growth. In 2020, the company reported 25% growth in sales. For 2021, it was a 42% increase and year-to-date for 2022, sales are up 47%.
Fee Brothers produces 19 flavors of bitters with the whiskey barrel-aged bitters being one of the most popular. Distributors and importers around the world are claiming their allocations this month and in turn, will provide bitters directly to their customers. The next batch of Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged bitters is already maturing in Iron Smoke barrels but will not be ready for bottling until next year.
