By Douglas Fraser Rating: C+ Deep in the heart of the Green Mountain State lies some of America’s best craft breweries and distilleries that use the rich, local resources of the state of Vermont. Mad River Distillery is one of those craft distilleries nestled in the Green Mountains just outside of Warren, VT. While visiting Vermont in October, I attended ...

Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, perhaps better known for its small batch organic grape-based vodkas, is poised to release an American single malt double-barrel whiskey. Initially released to fan club members only, starting November 15th Hanson’s whiskey will be available to the public for purchase. Hanson Whiskey is a blend of tradition and technique from both Scottish and Japanese whiskeys. They ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ Ever since distillery construction exploded in America, I have been awaiting the rise of independent blenders who truly mirrored the work of negociants in the Scotch Whisky trade. Then the American craft spirits movement began moving into the vacuum of American Malt Whiskey, the one place that none of the big distillers or Kentucky and ...

By Richard Thomas Rating: B+ I’m a wood nerd. This extends well beyond whiskey: I like trees, wood floors, wood furniture, wood burning, etc. In terms of whiskey, I’ve become keenly interested in the properties of different species of oak and their regional growing patterns. This explains why I pay the keenest attention to what Seattle’s Westland Distillery does with ...

Brown-Forman must have been taken by surprise by the popularity of Woodford Reserve’s fifth regular release whiskey, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt, because the expression sold out in just two months. Thus, August was a pretty scarce month for the American Malt made in an Irish-style triple set of copper pot stills, but supplies are set to improve as Woodford ...