Cooperstown Distillery (Cooperstown, NY) WF084

Time to take a journey to a town filled with baseball lore and memories---and some great whiskey tasting experiences.

Join me as I chat with Gene Marra, a native New Yorker who worked in the culinary arts and wine world before opening a distillery in the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

We'll have some interesting things to chat about. Gene will reveal why he thinks New York Bourbon is superior, we'll taste a Bourbon, rye, and single malt, and we'll find out how he prepared London judges before tasting his single malt. Plus, we'll talk about the cool signature baseball decanters they produce.

Members of the Speakeasy can hear an extra 20 minutes of interview time, including a dive into New York's cooper who is gaining a great reputation, and we'll taste an Apple Brandy and see what the Europeans thought of that. Check it out at patreon.com/whiskeylore. Sign up for a 7-Day Free Trial.

Vermont Spirits (Quechee, VT) WF083

While reaching out to distilleries across the country for my new book Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing American Whiskey, quite a few caught my ear in terms of the techniques they were using to make spirits.

Vermont Spirits was one of the few that caught my ear because of something other than whiskey. Yes, they make a Maple-infused Bourbon, but it was their distillation of maple syrup for their vodka and gin that fascinated me. The natural inclination would be to make rum. So, what is it that pushed Vermont Spirits to construct a distillery to focus on distilling vodka?

We'll also dive into their Bourbon and barrel-aged gin that could easily pass for a rye whiskey.

Join me as we visit the last of our New England distilleries on this amazing Great 48 Tour.

Cheers and slainte mhath,
Drew

Flag Hill Distillery and Winery (Lee, NH) WF082

Join me as I continue the Great 48 Tour across New England, with a scenic stop at the Flag Hill Distillery and Winery.

Originally hired as a distiller, Brian Ferguson had thoughts of going back to his native Pennsylvania to make whiskey. Then the owner made him an excellent offer to stay and take over Flag Hill. It's a unique story and we'll dive into it.

We'll also talk about some of the projects he's got going on. We'll learn what Heavy Rum and Breakfast Bourbon are, learn about the distillery's grain growing practices, and how the winery fits into whiskey tastings.

There will be a photo from my visit to Flag Hill in my upcoming book Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing American Whiskey. It's quintessential New England.