WhistlePig
WhistlePig was established in 2007 with the intention of setting up a farm to bottle distillery, where all the raw materials—from grain, water and even oak for the barrels—are grown on site. Located in Shoreham, Vermont, they quickly settled on the idea of dedicating themselves to Rye: a grain that offers so much complexity and flavour in the final whiskey, but can be very difficult to grow and work with. Work started with the late Dave Pickerall, Master Distiller and so-called “Father of American Craft Distilling”, who grew Maker’s Mark into the brand it is today. Thanks for Pickerall’s keen palate and network of contacts, they found a parcel of 10 Year Old Canadian Rye Whiskey destined for blending. The quality being so good, WhitlePig bought the whole lot, shipping it down to Vermont, allowing them to bring in some funds while the estate-grown ingredients matured. Following that initial release, WhistlePig have produced a number of ‘Farm Stock’ whiskeys made from rye grown on the farm. These, along with other older, limited bottlings, have achieved a great deal of fame, owing to the favourable ratings received by spirit and wine critics alike. Furthermore, cask #20244 became Jeroboams first exclusive release—quite that accolade indeed!