Meet the Makers Behind Our SipScout Whiskey Kit!

Attention whiskey lovers: we’d like to introduce you to some very important friends of ours…the incredible folks behind the whiskey in our SipScout Whiskey Exploration kits! Yes, we know the whiskies are delicious and, if you’ve taken a virtual class with us, we all know that our hosts are mighty entertaining, but these people right here are the real stars of the show! These amazing craft producers that we are honored to work with have shared a little about their whiskies, their distilleries, and themselves and we can’t wait for you to meet them!

Our SipScout whiskey kits are available for holiday gifting and, since you (or the recipient of your oh so thoughtful gift) might not be able to travel to all of these places and meet all these makers, we thought we’d bring them to you. As seen in the New York Times, Best Products, ESPN, and more, each kit comes with 6 different whiskey styles from 6 craft distillers in 6 different regions…a true exploration and education (via digital resources and videos) through the spirit of whiskey.

Now, pour yourself a dram, and get ready to make a few new friends, because that, Tippler Nation, is what good whiskey does!

Balcones

Waco, Texas

Built in an old welding shop under a bridge, Balcones Distilling   began distilling in their imported Portuguese copper pot stills in 2009, making them the first legal distillery in Texas since Prohibition. Head distiller Jared Himstedt, pictured, makes a blue corn whisky, a variety of Single Malts, Rye, and a Pot Still Bourbon, all using a longer than average fermentation period. Aging in the Texas climate sets these barrels in a category of their own.

Tell us about your whiskies!

“The first Texas whisky on the market since Prohibition, our Baby Blue is crafted from roasted blue corn. This rich and oily maize adds new sophistication to the corn whisky tradition while keeping the freshness and verve of classic American distilling. Our custom Forsyth copper pot stills are, as far as we know, some of the tallest pot stills in the world! Their height and unique helical lyne arm design allows us to create a rich and viscous bourbon that is balanced by fruity and bright elements.”

What’s your favorite way to enjoy Balcones whiskey?

“Suzanne here, founder of The Crafty Cask! Excuse me for a moment Jared…but I have to share. My absolute favorite whiskey for an Old Fashioned is Balcones Baby Blue. Especially with cocoa bitters! Smooth with just the right amount of sweetness.”

Boulder Spirts

Boulder, CO

The oldest operating distillery in the Boulder area, Boulder Spirits expertly crafts American single malts, bourbon  gin, and liqueurs. Growing up in Scotland and inspired by a lifelong passion for whiskey, president Alastair Brogan, pictured, wanted to make and celebrate the spirit of his homeland while showcasing all that Colorado has to offer. The blending of the two led to his American single malt.

What’s one thing you want folks to know about your distillery and your whiskey?

“It’s ours. And when I say that, I mean that we’re 100% independently owned and operated. We don’t have to answer to anyone else’s influence. And that is a big reason that our whiskey tastes the way it does. we don’t have to rush anything to meet someone else’s timeline. “

What’s your favorite way to enjoy your whiskey?

“You know, I really do enjoy a Manhattan. An American single malt Manhattan, of course! I quite enjoy whiskey on its own, typically, but having a dram with a bit of sweet, like creme brulee or tiramisu is quite nice.”

Catoctin Creek Distilling

 Purcellville, VA

Chief distiller and self proclaimed “rye evangelist” Becky Harris , pictured, and her husband, Scott, founded the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition back in 2009. Catoctin Creek, pronounced Ka-TOCK-tin, which derives from the Indian tribal name “Kittocton” which, legend has it, meant “place of many deer”. The office chairs at their distillery are kept warm and cozy by their distillery pugs: Otto and Thor.

What inspired you to get into craft spirits?

“We were inspired by the untold story of rye whisky in Virginia. At the time of George Washington, there were 13000 distilleries in the US, and as many in Virginia alone as there are in the entire US now. In Virginia, with tobacco being the leading crop, and rye planted annually to replenish the soil, rye whisky was what was being made in the Commonwealth. And with the labor demands of tobacco, most of this making was done by women.”

What’s one thing you want folks to know about your whiskey? 

“We believe very strongly in using slow, pot distillation in rye. It makes no sense financially to distill the way we do – we can make just over two barrels a day. Using these slow techniques, we are able to extract more of the flavor oils and other elements which really bring texture to the whisky we make. We can never compete with the large companies in the cost of what we make, but we absolutely make a superior product, supporting regional agriculture, and in a time where “premium” whiskey pricing is through the roof, pricing it fairly to consumers.”

 Charbay Distillery

Ukiah, CA

Charbay Distillery  is  family-owned and operated, celebrating their 41st year of selling Charbay spirits this year! Director of Operations and co-owner, Jenni Karakasevic  and her family draw on 13 generations of distilling knowledge, while infusing some modern ideas and flavors. At Charbay,  “no fruit or root is safe!” because distiller (and Jenni’s husband) Marko and his dad, Miles (all three pictured), are always experimenting and developing new ideas.

Miles was the first distiller in the US to earn the title of Grand Master Distiller, which is granted to a Distiller who has distilled all four of the major spirits categories: Brandy, Whiskey, Rum and Tequila. Since Tequila must be distilled in Mexico, this is an extremely rare pinnacle for an artisan distiller to reach.

What drew you to making whiskey? 

“Marko loves beer and loves whiskey. And because our still is built to concentrate flavors, it occurred to him that if he started with a delicious beer, it would distill into a great whiskey!  He started with a Czech Pilsner in 1999, which as far as I know, was the first whiskey in the US to be distilled from finished beer, carbonation and all.”

Why craft?

“It’s really exciting to be in the spirits business. So many distilleries have started up in the last several years (to give context, we are the 177th licensed distillery after prohibition – there are now a few thousand) and together, we are paving the way to a better drinking experience.”

Clonakilty Distillery

County Cork, IE

Clonakilty Distillery  is located in the town center of Clonakilty, about an hour South West of Cork City on the Wild Atlantic Way.  Founded in 2019 by Michael Scully (pictured), whose family has farmed the area for 320 years, the distillery has the traditional set up of three stills for whiskey as well as a still for gin and vodka. Shortly after building the distillery, Scully brought on Padriac Coll launch the whiskey in North American (and answer all of our questions, obvi).  

What’s one thing you want folks to know about your whiskey?

“We are proud of the fact that we grow as much of the barley as we can and the rest is sourced from farmers in the Cork area. Clonakilty ferments the barley longer than most and we take pride in the fact that volume takes secondary priority behind quality. We are one of the very few distilleries in the world who use the slow proofing method. “The Gentle Cut” of taking cask strength whiskey to bottling strength over 2 weeks rather than the much faster methods the larger distilleries and bottlers use.”

What drew you to making whiskey? 

“The fact that the Irish whiskey market was beginning to grow outside of the main brands was the main driver to get involved. Combined with the overall growth, the single pot still segment was one that we singled out as where to be in. This traditional style of making Irish whiskey is perhaps only 2% of the total Irish whiskey market and had virtually died out. Now we are happy to be part of its revival.”

Fort Mosé

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Located in south Florida, Fort Mosé Whiskey is currently in the process of building a whole new distillery, complete with a cigar bar, restuarant and rooftop lounge. As the first African American owned distillery in Florida, they bottle Fort Mosé bourbon and rye whiskey, alongside Victor George vodka and caramel vodka. Victor G. Harvey, pictured, founded the brand in 2019. 

 Tell us about your whiskey’s story!

“I believe every great bourbon has a great story and I knew not just my own, but the story of Fort Mosé, the name we chose, would be a great one to tell. Fort Mosé was the first town in America where Black people could live free beginning in 1738. We pride ourselves on producing and bottling exceptionally smooth products. We developed our own filtration system to remove the harsh radicals often found in distilled spirits.”

How do you prefer to enjoy your whiskey?

“I prefer all my whiskey neat or with one ice cube.  When I want a cocktail its a rye Old Fashioned.”

Give The Gift Of A SipScout Whiskey Kit!

We adore introducing you to the folks behind the whiskeys in our SipScout whiskey kits! The unique thing about this kit is that it is a true exploration since it features 6 whiskey styles from 6 different craft distillers in 6 different regions. So if you have a whiskey enthusiast or newbie on your list this kit, alongside the digital resources that come with it, is the perfect gift! Want to know more about each style showcased in the the whiskey kit? We’ll be sharing an in depth look behind each bottle in the kit next so you (or your gift recipient) can learn all about them.

Holiday gifting with SipScout couldn’t be easier: all the amazing craft spirits, shipped right to your door. Yeah, we sure do know how to spread holiday cheer around here!