Dow Scoggins

The New World’s Largest Bottle of Whiskey Could Be Worth Nearly $2 Million(September 16) – On September 8, whisky-focused investment firm Fah Mai Holdings Group and alternative assets company Rosewin Holdings teamed up with the independent bottler Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky to officially break the Guinness World Record for “Largest Bottle of Scotch” with a 311-liter bottle that stands about 5-feet, 11-inches tall. Complete Story

Inside Jim Beam’s Attempt to Build Its Own Craft Distillery(September 7) – Freddie Noe could be considered bourbon royalty, if there is such a thing, although that’s not something he’d likely bring up in conversation. He’s the grandson of former Jim Beam master distiller Booker Noe and the son of current master distiller Fred Noe, two major figures in the modern history of Kentucky bourbon. Complete Story

The World’s Best Whiskey—According To The 2021 Craft Spirits Awards(September 6) – The top honor of Best of Show is reserved for a single spirit exerting superiority across all categories. This year that honor went to a port-finished rye from Milam & Greene out of Blanco, Texas. Co-founders Marsha Milam and master blender Heather Greene are no strangers to prestigious accolades. Complete Story

Moylan’s Distilling and Great Lakes Distillery take top honors at the U.S. Open(July) – Moylan’s Distilling in Petaluma, California was named the U.S. Open Whiskey’s Grand National Champion after winning two gold medals, a silver and two bronze medals. Their Moylan’s Cask Strength Bourbon was a favorite among the judges. While, Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was named the 2021 U.S. Open Spirits’ Grand National Champion by winning an amazing four gold medals. Complete Story

Heaven Hill Distillery to unveil renovated, expanded Heritage Center(June 14) – Heaven Hill Distillery is hosting a grand opening Monday to showcase its multi-million dollar renovation and expansion project. Gov. Andy Beshear will attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Heritage Center in Bardstown, Kentucky. Beshear will fill the first bottle of bourbon in the interactive experience, which allows guest to learn about four different bourbons, taste them and pick their favorite. Complete Story

Cooperstown Distillery celebrates expansion with ribbon cutting while touting local businesses(June 13) – The mood was jovial on Saturday, June 12, as around 60 people, included elected officials such as State Sen. Peter Oberacker (R-51), Cooperstown Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, gathered outside the Cooperstown Distillery on Railroad Avenue for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of their expansion to celebrate what is considered a big success for local businesses in particular and a revitalization of Railroad Avenue specifically. Complete Story 

Founder of New York’s Do Good Spirits talks distillery name change, making sanitizer during COVID and more(June 2) – The New York-based distillery Do Good Spirits is doing exactly what its name suggests. Founder and Head Distiller Brian Facquet initially started the distillery under the name Prohibition Distillery in 2009 in Roscoe, New York. After serving in the Navy, Facquet was working in human resource technology when he started developing an interest in making his own vodka. Complete Story

Wise Men Distillery opens tasting room in downtown Grand Rapids(June 2) – Wise Men Distillery, a Kentwood-based company, opened a new tasting room in downtown Grand Rapids Wednesday. It’s located at 146 Monroe Center in the historic McKay Tower. The 700 square foot space features the company’s award-winning spirits and hard seltzers. Complete Story

Historic Hayner Distilling days away from first bourbon release since prohibition in Troy, Ohio (June 2) – A revival of a famous Troy distillery is stirring for the first time since prohibition. Hayner Distilling, located at 619 Lincoln Ave. in Troy, is preparing for the first release of Hayner Bourbon in over 100 years. Available Friday, June 4, the first 500 bottles will feature a “June 4, 2021″ postmark, commemorating the first bottling of Hayner Bourbon in over 100 years. Complete Story

Singer Lee Greenwood headed to La Vista, Nebraska for signature bourbon launch party on Thursday, May 27th(May 26) – Fans of distilled drinks and “God Bless the USA” are invited to a party celebrating the national launch of country singer Lee Greenwood’s signature bourbon. The bourbon is produced in La Vista by Soldier Valley Spirits. Greenwood arrives in Omaha at noon Thursday, May 27th and will be the guest of honor at the 6 p.m. party that same day. Complete Story

National Craft Distillery Day on May 22(May 22) – The word “distill” comes from the Latin verb destillare, meaning “to drip down.” Spirit distilling has a long history, dating back to the “Before Jebus” time, in Ancient Greece. It was then that The Greeks learned that if they boiled wine in an open container, the hot alcohol vapor escaped first. Complete Story

Little River distillery thrilled after South Carolina Gov. McMaster signs Micro-Distillery Parity Act(May 22) – Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill this week that will change how distilleries can do business in South Carolina, allowing them to sell food, stay open later and serve more. The bill is called the Micro-Distillery Parity Act. It will ease restrictions on South Carolina’s micro-distilleries like Twelve 33 in Little River. Kevin Osborne, owner and president of Twelve 33 Distillery, said he’s been pushing hard for this bill over the past year. Complete Story

Nashville-Owned Log Still Distillery Opens Tasting Room(May 20) – Wally Dant is a Nashville businessman with roots in the distilling business that stretch back almost two centuries to when his ancestor JW Dant fashioned a still out of a hollowed-out poplar log — a pretty remarkable feat when you consider the high pressures and inherent flammability of the alcohol distilling process. Complete Story

Costco Debuting New Kirkland Bourbons Sourced From Barton 1792(May 13) – It was revealed some months back through a series of TTB federally approved bottle labels that a seemingly new supplier for Costco’s Kirkland bourbons would be the Barton 1792 distillery in Kentucky that’s owned by Sazerac. Complete Story

New Realm Brewing Plans Move Into Canned Cocktails, Non-Alcoholic Beer(May 11) – Spirits also became a large portion of New Realm’s overall mix. So, now that we have the distillery in Savannah, we will be going into distribution with our spirits, and we will expand our offerings. But we’ll take a very slow and disciplined approach to this. We’ll also be rolling out RTDs with vodka, tequila, and rum in slim cans in the second quarter of this year. Complete Story

Deep River Distillers seeks approval to open distillery in Rocky Hill(May 11) – Vodka maker Deep River Distillers is seeking approval to open a distillery in Rocky Hill, where the company would make its branded Krew Vodka. Complete Story

How Leopold Bros. Distillery Revived a Long-Lost Style of American Whiskey(May 7) – Todd Leopold, of the Colorado-based Leopold Bros. distillery, has resurrected the style of pre-Prohibition whiskey with the new Three Chamber Rye. And he did it by going back to the way rye whiskey was produced through the end of World War I, without taking any shortcuts or using any modern technology.  Complete Story

Is This the Oldest Bottle of American Whiskey? Is It Worth $40,000?(May 4) – For one thing, it was embossed with the name “Evans & Ragland,” a grocer and whiskey bottler that operated in LaGrange, Ga., for about a decade after the Civil War. And a typed note taped to the back suggested that the whiskey had been distilled before 1865, since there were no known distilleries in Georgia after the war that might have sold it to Evans & Ragland to bottle. Complete Story

Berkshire Mountain Distillers’ Craft Brewers Project turns beer into whiskey(May 4) – Beer whisky. Yum. We’re not talking about distiller’s beer here (the alcoholic liquid produced through fermentation, which is then distilled to produce a spirit). We’re talking about using craft beer you might actually drink as the base to distill a whisky. It’s become a thing over the last few years — a cool way to showcase the genetics of a beer in a spirit — and more and more brewers are getting into the distilling category to diversify their portfolios. Complete Story

Copper Creek Distillery making moonshine in Marion(May 3) – After much work and effort, Copper Creek Distillery in Marion is producing quality liquor that is “hand crafted one drop at a time.” Located on U.S. 221 Business near the entrance to Hankins Road, Copper Creek Distillery will open for business during the Memorial Day weekend. Owners Greg Shuford and Randy Berry have worked for the past 14 months to create the first legal distillery in McDowell County since before Prohibition. Complete Story

Pine Bluffs Distilling is launching five new whiskeys across a four weekend celebration(May 2) – Pine Bluffs Distilling is local to their core. It’s how they do business. Supporting their community by using local grains, providing local jobs, and operating with transparency all matter to Pine Bluffs Distilling. Keeping it local, Pine Bluffs Distilling is celebrating the launch of five new products with a variety of summer events. Complete Story

Get a sneak peek of Fierce Whiskers Distillery in Southeast Austin(May 2) – The first thing you notice at Fierce Whiskers Distillery is the soaring black structure out front. It’s their rickhouse, and community growth marketing manager Greg Johnson says it’s the only one of its kind in Austin. Complete Story

Weston, West Virginia’s, MannCave Distillery secures double gold, silver and bronze awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition(May 1) – Weston’s MannCave Distillery is raising the bar when it comes to quality spirits, proving so by taking home six medals, including a double gold medal, at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition — the largest competition of its kind in the world. “It’s a big win for us,” owner Stephen Mann said. Complete Story

Iron Shoe Distillery in Niles is expanding with plans that include a rooftop patio(May 2) – A locally owned restaurant and distillery in Niles will be undergoing an extensive expansion project thanks in part to a statewide grant. Iron Shoe Distillery, 3 N. Third St., was one of 21 businesses across Michigan awarded up to $25,000 through the Match on Main grant provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Owner Laura Tuthill said the business will use the money to expand the restaurant about 2,000-square feet of space for the kitchen, indoor dining area and to add more outdoor seating that includes a rooftop patio. Complete Story

Doc Swinson’s Whiskey Is Cask-Finished Fun(April 27) – When Distiller’s Way first started, the goal, according to Head Distiller Jesse Parker, was to create spirits for private labels – single restaurants, restaurant chains, golf courses, or whoever else came calling. Parker, who had gotten his start distilling elsewhere in Washington State had almost left distilling before taking the job, choosing instead to keep distilling – if for nothing else then to be able to afford a mortgage. Complete Story

The ‘Oldest Currently Known Whiskey Bottle’ Will Be Auctioned Off in June(April 24) – From June 22 to 30, the Boston-based Skinner Auctioneers will be auctioning off a bottle of Old Ingledew Whiskey being billed as “the oldest currently known whiskey bottle.” The front of the brown bottle features embossed lettering stating that it’s from Evans & Ragland in La Grange, Georgia, while the back features a typed note taped to the glass that begins, “This Bourbon was probably made prior to 1865.” Complete Story

Michigan distillery’s flagship bourbon gets its magic from a century-old maple syrup farm(April 20) – Thompsonville-based Iron Fish Distillery works with the Griner Family Sugar Bush, a local maple syrup producer, to create its award-winning maple bourbon whiskey and bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup. Those two products come together in the distillery’s popular craft cocktail. Complete Story

5 Best Distilleries in Charlotte(April 18) – Below is a list of the top and leading Distilleries in Charlotte. To help you find the best Distilleries located near you in Charlotte, we put together our own list based on this rating points list. Complete Story

Jack Daniel’s former master distiller is bringing a new bourbon distillery to Alcoa(April 17) – Jeff Arnett , former Tennessee Distillers Guild president Kris Tatum, Clayton Homes CEO Kevin Clayton, Corey Clayton, and H. Clark Distillery founder Heath Clark are teaming up to open a new business in Blount County. Called “Company Distilling”, the company’s main distillery will operate out of the mixed-use Springbrook Farm development in Alcoa and is set to open in 2022.  Complete Story

The Secret Ingredient In A Black-Owned Delta Dirt Distillery: Faith.(April 8) – Delta Dirt Distillery’s sweet potato vodka is strong – 86 proof – and it tastes somehow richer than your average vodka, rich like the soil of the Delta that grew the potatoes. The bottles rolling out of the distillery in downtown Helena, Arkansas, represent the life savings, ambitions and idealism of a successful Black family. Harvey and Donna Williams grew up in neighboring Lee County. Both children of farmers, they met in high school. Complete Story

Boann Distillery wins big at World Whiskey Awards(March 29) – Boann Distillery became the first in Ireland to win the award for the world’s “best new make and young spirit” after its New Make Pot Still Spirit won big at this year’s World Whiskey Awards. Complete Story

Kentucky’s first Black-owned distillery joins Kentucky Distillers Association(March 28) – Brough Brothers are the 42nd members of the nonprofit trade group. The distillery opened in December and is located on Dixie Highway in the Park Hill neighborhood. The brothers say they chose the Park Hill location as a way to support local businesses and economic growth in the historically underserved area of west Louisville.  Complete Story

Remedy Distillery in midtown Gainesville, GA is serving up bourbon and whiskey(March 25) – Remedy Distillery, which crafts bourbon and whiskey, quietly opened next door to The Inked Pig off Main Street in November 2020. Since then, Keith Speed, the distillery’s owner, said the business has connected with distributors and modified its 7,000-square-foot space, so that it’s comfortable for patrons. Complete Story

JH Bards Spirit Co. opens as Pulaski County’s first distillery(March 25) – Pulaski County, Virginia is getting its first distillery. JH Bards Spirit Co. opens this weekend. 10 News is working for you and got a look inside before the doors open to the public on Saturday. Whiskey, cocktails and a tasting room with local pride in mind are all part of Jayson Hudson and Jason Hardy’s vision. It’s been two years in the making and a New River Valley location was always part of the dream. Complete Story

Still hoppy after all these years: Wormtown’s brewmaster on 11th anniversary, brewstillery and more(March 18) – Wormtown Brewery will have completed 11 years of brewing beer in Worcester. Such anniversaries usually get mentioned as footnotes, not milestones. Wormtown has an impressive, daunting schedule for 2021, including opening a new taproom at 75 Shrewsbury St. and becoming the city’s first distillery. Complete Story

Founders & Creators: 22 Women of Whiskey(March 18) – Anyone who believes whiskey is a man’s drink probably hasn’t gotten out of the house in the last decade. In fact, women make up nearly 40% of whiskey consumers, according to a recent study by MRI-Simmons. And behind the scenes, women are taking on more leadership roles in the distillery than ever. Complete Story

TX Whiskey launches Bottled-In-Bond Texas Bourbon(March 17) – The makers of TX Blended Whiskey and TX Straight Bourbon on Tuesday, March 16 announced the launch of the first Bottled-In-Bond Texas Bourbon, a single barrel expression of TX Straight Bourbon bottled at 100 proof. Complete Story

Coming Soon: O’Shaughnessy Distillery to the Twin Cities(March 16) – Well, top o’ the morning to you. Here’s some news that’s almost as good as your first Irish coffee of the day: We are about to have a world-class whiskey distillery in our midst when O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co. opens in the next few months. It’s under construction next to Surly Brewing, and across from the coming Malcolm Yards Market. Prospect Park is so hot right now. Complete Story

Ohio scores another batch of exclusive high-end bourbons to offer via lottery(March 15) – The Ohio Division of Liquor Control has gotten its hands on some rather prestigious Kentucky bourbons and will sell them via bottle lottery and will also offer a special home-grown bottling from an Ohio-based distillery. “We’re kicking off the 2021 bottle lotteries with some exciting single-barrel selections” of Blanton’s, Eagle Rare and E.H. Taylor, OHLQ officials said in a release. Complete Story

Hometown craft whiskey producer ASW Distillery opening at The Battery Atlanta on March 27(March 10) – The Battery Atlanta has partnered with the largest production distillery in Georgia to bring a third ASW Distillery to the Atlanta community. The new space, with its grand opening slated for March 27, features a tasting room, a Vendome copper pot/column hybrid still for distilling gin and vodka, a small batch bottling operation, the most extensive cocktail program of ASW Distillery’s three Atlanta locations and a large private events space in the former Häagen-Dazs location at The Battery Atlanta. Complete Story

Madison County Distillery in Cazenovia plans to offer outdoor activities(March 1) – On Monday, Feb. 22, the Town of Cazenovia Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special use permit application from Madison County Distillery to expand its operating concept to include outdoor activities. The specific requests include permission to build an in-ground fire-pit, to install a live music platform, and to construct outdoor game courts for activities like foosball, corn hole and horseshoes. Complete Story

Portland Has a New Distillery and Restaurant with the Aimsir Distilling(February 27) – Portland’s distillery scene, already a proud tradition in the city, recently got a new addition with The Aimsir Distilling Co. Sharing a building with Culmination Brewing on NE Oregon Street, Aimsir makes whiskey and gin and serves full cocktails as well as a full menu of food inspired by Irish cooking. Complete Story

Landmark status approved for new Cleveland Whiskey distillery(February 24) – It’s a revival in action. Cleveland Whiskey’s plan to turn an early 1900s fruit and auction building into their new headquarters, got some good news this week. Cleveland City Council voted to grant the building landmark status, which will assist the company in their large renovation plan. Complete Story

Scotch Whisky Exports Fell By 23% In 2020(February 24) – The Scotch Whisky Association has revealed that exports of Scotch whisky have decreased by 23% in 2020, representing a $1.5 billion drop in sales. It is the lowest the figures have been in a decade. The SWA says that the Covid-19 pandemic and punishing U.S. tariffs on single malt Scotch are largely responsible for the significant dip. Complete Story
 
Dewar’s Debuts A New Port Cask Finished Blended Scotch Whisky(February 23) – Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, a popular blended Scotch label owned by Bacardi, recently announced the launch of Dewar’s Portuguese Smooth — an 8-year-old Portuguese port cask finish that is said to combine the flavors of Portugal and Scotland. Complete Story 

A Look Inside the World of Distilling in the Hudson Valley(February 22) – Located in the bones of a 1900s Nabisco factory, Albany Distilling doesn’t shy away from paying tribute to its predecessors. In addition to two-year-aged bourbon and rye whiskey, the deal here is unaged Quackenbush Still House Rum. Complete Story

The next great whiskey trail is not where you think it is, guess Germany(February 17) – The whole scene along this whiskey road trip is strangely familiar: historic castles and deer-filled forests, then rows of ploughed soil, golden barley fields, and the sweet scent of cereal grains. But this isn’t somewhere in Scotland. Nor is it in Ireland or the United States. This is Brandenburg, a sparsely populated region in Germany surrounding Berlin. Complete Story

Can a Fine Whiskey Age Overnight?(February 15) – Whiskey, in other words, is ready to be hacked — at least according to Stuart Aaron and Martin Janousek. Their company, Bespoken Spirits, in Menlo Park, Calif., says it can make whiskey in just a few days, using heat and pressure to force alcohol in and out of small pieces of wood that give the spirit its characteristic flavor and color. Complete Story

Ohio Bourbon Comes of Age(February 11) – Watershed Distillery has a curious history. Greg Lehman, the founder, played professional volleyball in Switzerland and followed that up with a successful career selling medications to commercial producers of pigs and hogs (seriously). When he became bored with sports and swine, he found a business partner, raised some cash, and opened Watershed in 2010. Complete Story

Rare Bourbon for the Masses: How Barrel Picks Became the Latest Craze in American Whiskey(February 11) – The continued demand for so-called “barrel picks,” where bars or retailers purchase all the bottles from a single cask and sell them as an exclusive offering, will hardly surprise those with an eye on whiskey trends. Though they’ve existed for multiple decades, only in recent years have private barrel selections crossed into the mainstream and become the most sought-after products for consumers and retailers alike. Complete Story

Travel + Leisure magazine names Green River distillery to visit(February 10) – Travel + Leisure magazine, which bills itself as “The World’s Most Influential Travel Brand,” recently listed Owensboro’s Green River Distilling Co. among “12 Kentucky Distilleries All Bourbon Lovers Should Visit.” Complete Story

MGP Announces 2021 George Remus Bourbon Single Barrel Program(February 9) – On the heels of their announcement of the 2021 Rossville Union Single Barrel Program, MGP, the largest distiller of rye whiskey in the U.S., has revealed that they will be offering a 2021 George Remus Bourbon Single Barrel Program. This follows up to a similar undertaking under this label last year. Complete Story 

The Montana Distillery Moves to Stevenville(February 4) – So, The Montana Distillery packed up and moved down the Bitterroot. Someplace with less taxes, but thirsty residents. On Christmas Eve of 2020, Montana Distillery opened up in the heart of Stevensville. Located just across Main street from the popular Valley Drug. Complete Story

Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021 and Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021 will be available worldwide from May 25(February 2) – Whisky lovers – especially those still searching for last year’s special releases – have a new date to look forward to: May 25. It’s the day that two new limited edition Suntory whiskies are set for worldwide release, Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2021 and Yamazaki Limited Edition 2021. Complete Story

10 Things You Should Know About Old Forester Bourbon(January 30) – When it comes to whisky, it doesn’t get more classic than Old Forester. Based in Louisville, Ky., Old Forester has been known and loved by Americans for generations, and is consistently praised by aficionados for its great-value bourbons and ryes. The veteran brand knows how to keep things fresh, however, and consistently integrates itself into celebrations both big and small. Complete Story

Widow Jane distillery is making bourbon in maple syrup barrels(January 29) – Yes, the New York City borough, which has acquired a reputation in recent years as a foodie and hipster haven, is increasingly being recognized for its spirits brands. Among them is Widow Jane, which was founded in 2012 and has surged in popularity of late, with company officials saying sales grew by 50% in the past year. Complete Story

Lee Greenwood, Soldier Valley Spirits Announce Signature Bourbon Whiskey(January 29) – Known for the patriotic anthem, “God Bless America,” Lee Greenwood recently partnered up with Soldier Valley Spirits to develop the Lee Greenwood Signature Bourbon Whiskey (45% ABV). The 90 proof, six-year-old bourbon whiskey is bottled in a canteen-shaped bottle embossed with the number “6” as a reminder of unity, especially with the veterans, nonprofit veterans’ groups and first responders Soldier Valley Spirits supports. Complete Story

Belle of Dayton Distillery Bottling Success With New Whiskey Release(January 28) – At Belle of Dayton distillery, bottler Matthew Kitze is working to build up a stock of their award-winning vodka Vodka. “We just released out Detrick Rye Whiskey with overwhelming support from the Dayton community,” said Belle of Dayton distillery co-owner Murphy LaSelle. “We were kind of astonished by how many people ended up coming out.” The new whiskey sold out in just eight hours. Complete Story

Kentucky distillery keeps wild family moonshine story alive while making its own bourbon(January 14) – Outside the distillery store is this 1941 Chyrsler with a straight V-8 was the Neeley family moonshine hauler for years. It has truck springs that handled the load on rough Kentucky backroads. There’s also a few bullet holes as well. Complete Story

New whiskey alert: Ezra Brooks bourbon gets an upgrade in look, proof(January 8) – Luxco announced on Wednesday that the St. Louis-based spirits company is releasing a higher proof version of its popular Kentucky bourbon, Ezra Brooks. Ezra Brooks 99 also is a Kentucky straight bourbon, charcoal filtered and bottled at 99 proof rather than the brand’s 80- or 90-proof versions. Complete Story