Drinking The World

Tuthilltown Spirits Old Gristmill Authentic American Corn Whiskey is 40% abv. / 80 proof and is an un-aged, clear, corn whiskey made from 100% Hudson Valley Grown New York State Corn.

Tuthilltown Spirits make a great line of premium spirits including whiskeys of several types, rum, and apple based vodkas. I've tried most of them at various events around the country, but this is the first bottle that ever made it home, and it was a close call this time as well. As you can see, the clear spirit is almost gone. This was from less than five minutes at a party I went to, where I mistakenly took the bottle out of my bag to show to my friend and fellow blogger, Joe Distefano. He grabbed the bottle and put it to his lips and took a sip, then way too loudly pronounced it excellent. Before I could get the bottle back in my grasp it had made a quick round of those in our vicinity, and the level had decreased precipitously by 3/4's. To make up for my loss I had a bit as well, and then greedily stashed it back in my bag out of sight. When I got home it accidentally ended up in my spirits storage area and lay forgotten until I ran across it last night. So I poured a nice glass on the rocks, which reminded me how much I like this spirit. Not just as a fan of fine distillates, but as a distiller as well.

I've visited Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner, NY and seen them make their spirits. They grind the corn (and other grains depending upon the product), add the clean, sweet, and pure filtered water from their well, heat it up to make a mash, add the yeast, and ferment it. Then they take the alcoholic mash and distill it several times to produce their wonderful whiskies.

From the back label: "Tuthilltown Spirits Corn Whiskey is produced by the classic method, one batch at a time, from 100% Hudson valley Corn. Known throughout the south as "white light'ning" or "moonshine", it is unaged to ensure you honest flavor and a traditional kick. Tuthilltown Corn Whiskey is a true American spirit. Enjoy it responsibly."

I've tried real moonshine upon an occasion or three and found the quality to be great, mostly because it's being made from high quality ingredients, in very small batches, by obsessed home distillers, living out in the mountains and woods around the country. I've also had 'White Dog' (the name distillers use for fresh, unaged spirits right out of the still), and even those from the best whiskey distilleries in Kentucky were hot, raw, and unappetizing. It became quickly obvious that the big boys (the handful of huge distilleries who make literally thousands of products) just don't measure up to what can be produced in really small batches, ones 1/1000 the size of theirs. If you ever get the chance to try any spirits made by an artisanal, craft distiller, you will see what I mean.

Old Gristmill proves that Tuthilltown Spirits is a small, artisanal, craft distillery doing big things. They are noticeably focused obsessively on quality, from the raw ingredients right through the whole fermentation and distilling process. For what should be a rough and hot, raw corn whiskey; Old Gristmill is the exact opposite. Smooth, complex, somewhat sweet, nutty, musky and earthy, clean, full of that luscious taste and smell of good corn mash. Did I say smooth? Luscious? Well, when you talk about some things this good, certain words bear repeating. While I enjoy Old Gristmill on the rocks, it is one of the few spirits that I think taste excellent sipped straight, without even the need of a water chaser. Heck, even sipped right from the bottle it's great. Trust me, while it isn't something I do on a regular basis, or even once in a blue moon, I relished it drunk just that way the first time I had it at that party a few months ago. Just for the heck of it I did so again as I write this. My mouth is dancing with glee as the flavors romp around with a Zydeco rhythm, making me want to jump up and join my whole body in the dance. I can even hear the music frolicking in my head. I can't wait to see what Tuthilltown Spirits does next!