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Authentic, Artisanal & Affordable Wine
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Great Gift Ideas for the Holiday
Free
Gift Wrap &
Expert Advice
Choosing Your
Holiday
Wine List
One of the most exciting trends in the wine
and spirits trade today is the explosion in
micro-distilled spirits that have burst onto
the scene in the last couple of years. The
numbers are astonishing, with craft or
micro distilleries growing from 50 in 2005
to over 250 in 45 different states in 2012,
according to the American Distilling Insti-
tute. Like the craft beer boom that has dra-
matically altered the beer scene and
brought hundreds of new breweries into
the market, small batch bourbons, craft
gins, vodkas and whiskeys of all sorts are
finding their way into bars, restaurants and
retail shelves and opening a whole world of
taste.
But unlike craft beers, whose production
times are typically measured in months,
whiskeys take time – often years and some-
times a decade or more to mature and mel-
low. This can make it difficult too for start-
ups to break in given the investment in time
and money required to create truly great
aged whiskeys. Clear spirits are much less
time and capital intensive, and many small
distilleries are starting with rum, gin or
vodka, or offering a line of both clear and
aged spirits in order to augment cash flow.
The time needed to age good bourbon and
whiskey has also created headaches for
existing producers (and consumers) of
some of the classics, as the increased
demand has created shortages and price
increases. Some of the bourbon brands we
could hardly give away a few years back
now have waiting lists that range from just
plain long to “forget about it.” Non-Aged
spirits like gin and vodka can provide an
easier entry in terms of time and money
required to make them, but the fields are
crowded and competitive and it can be
hard to break in. As for aged spirits, some
distillers are aging for a shorter time in
smaller barrels in order to get their products
to market faster. By increasing the surface
to volume ratio between the wood and the
whiskey, the absorption of the flavoring
elements of the barrel are absorbed more
quickly, shortening the time needed to cre-
ate that smoky, smooth, charred oak com-
ponent and creating a process that allows
distillers to sell them at a much earlier age.
While this can produce some pretty good
whiskey at very reasonable prices, there is
no substitute for a long, slow maturation,
with the very best still being made in the
time-honored tradition of extended barrel
aging. As the old guard says “you have to
give the Angels their share,” a reference to
the amount of spirits that evaporate during
the time spent in the barrel.
The good news for consumers is that there
is an increasingly diverse and exciting col-
lection of truly unique handcrafted spirits
available on the market. While some of the
classics might be hard to find (Black Maple
Hill is one that comes to mind, as is Pappy
Van Winkle, another virtually non-available
brand), others have stepped in to fill the
void. Some to look out for are Caledonia
Spirits & Winery, located in northeast Ver-
mont and their stunning, aromatic gin and
vodka; Greenhook Ginsmiths, a tiny distiller
in Brooklyn, New York making outstanding
gin, Boyd and Blair vodka from western
Pennsylvania is superb and made from
local, organically grown potatoes, and New
Jersey’s Artisan Distilling, the first new dis-
tilling license granted by the state since
prohibition, is making an excellent rum.
Journeyman Distilling in Michigan has an
excellent collection of small batch gin,
vodka and whiskeys, and High West Distill-
ing in Utah is also making some truly com-
pelling whiskeys.
So this holiday season it’s out with the old
and in with the new! Whether it’s for a gift
or your own personal consumption, defi-
nitely seek out these extraordinary hand
crafted spirits!
Cheers!
Chris Cree is one of only 39 American Masters of
Wine and owner of 56 Degree Wine, a retail
wine shop specializing in artisanal wines, spirits
and brew from top quality producers all over the
world. Questions about wine? Reach him at
Chris.Cree@56degreewine.com.
ARTISAN SPIRITS - RED HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS
By: Christopher Cree MW, 56° Wine
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