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Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey

Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey

Corn Whiskey is not an offering usually seen by name on store shelves, as much of the corn-based whiskey is bourbon. But corn whiskey as a category is a little different than bourbon per the US federal regulations. Corn whiskey has to be at least 80% corn and can be stored in either new or used oak barrels. The Liberty Pole Corn Whiskey is is fermented with an American ale yeast and aged for 18-24 months in medium-toasted oak quarter casks formerly housing Liberty Pole’s own bourbon and rye. The Bloody Butcher Corn used as the base is a heirloom grain from southwest Pennsylvania, similar to the kind of corn grown there during the late 18th century Whiskey Rebellion.

Writers Tears

Writers Tears

Originally created as a boutique blend in 2009, Writer’s Tears is a vatting of 60% single malt and 40% single pot stills, containing no grain except barley. In the subsequent decade, the whiskey has garnered various industry awards and mentions by luminaries such as Jim Murray and Ian Buxton. Writer’s Tears is likely a blend of whiskies from the Cooley and Midleton distilleries. There being only a handful of operating Irish distilleries, though more are in the works, it is quite normal for brands to source their whiskey to order and blend, finish or otherwise finish producing the final product. Like Canadian whisky, finding the source of the actual contents of the bottle can sometimes be challenging. Walsh Distillery began its own distillation in 2016, so we assume that as production continues and their house stock ages, the company’s portfolio will contain more of their own product.

Craigellachie 13 Year

Craigellachie 13 Year

Though the village of Craigellachie may be more famous as the home of The Macallan, as well as the confluence of the rivers Spey and Fiddich, it is also home to the Craigellachie Distillery. It has generally flown under the whisky radar due to the fact that its output has always gone into blends, specifically Dewar’s (the distillery is owned by Bicardi but managed directly by Dewar & Sons). Thankfully, a few single malt expressions have been put out as part of Dewar’s Last Great Malts series, which focuses on new expressions and malts never released before. Aside from being uncompromising in taste, the distillery is also known for the use of the unique worm tubs, a call back to an earlier time in whisky production.