Craft Bourbon Flight

Let's hear it for the little people! Though these producers may be small, they are fierce, and they have big points of view big flavor bourbons. In 2010, there were about 200 active distilleries in the United States, and most everyone had only ever heard of a few major producers from Kentucky. Now there are close to 2000 up and running craft distilleries in the country, and though the big boys in Kentucky still largely hold sway, there are more and more reasons to explore the alternatives all the time. We've selected here a few of our favorite craft bourbons from around the country, which unlike the huge producers, make a more old-school, robust, and characterful spirit, using high quality grain and distilling with traditional pot stills. This is a less efficient, more expensive way to make whiskey, but you'll find the proof is in the pudding. 

Journeyman Featherbone Bourbon

Estate grown grains, fully organic process. Blended to profile in small batches. Made of a mash of 70% corn, 25% wheat, and 5% rye. Bottled at 45% abv.

Vanilla, corn, floral, peanut butter; caramel, peppery spice, ginger, nuts, cinnamon, oily and mouth-coating body, lingering notes of tobacco.

Sonoma Cherrywood Bourbon

Mash of 67% California corn, 20% California rye, and 13% cherrywood smoked barley from Wyoming. Bottled at 48% abv.

Slight smoke, butterscotch, sour cherry, caramel; cola, vanilla, maraschino cherry, allspice, toasted oak, chewy rye, orange peel, satisfying finish.

Woodinville Bourbon

Aged at least 5 years, a rarity in the craft world. Mash of 72% corn, 22% rye, and 6% barley. All grains locally grown in Quincy, Washington. Bottled at 45% abv. 

Brown sugar, vanilla, banana, nuts, oak; black cherry, woody, spearmint, wintergreen, tropical fruit, more vanilla, medium finish of oak and caramel.