by Mike Kessler  

Whiskey, vodka, and gin, oh my. photo: David Cox

What did 5th Century Scotts, 16th Century Russians, and 17th Century Dutch have in common besides syphilis, bloody flux, and bad teeth? They liked to toss back goblets of fermented mash to take the edge off a hard day of serfing and peasanting. The Scottish, for their part, opted for darkish, rye-and barley-based spirits (whiskey). The Russians' elixir (vodka) came from pale grains and potatoes. And the Dutch preferred a light grain with an infusion of juniper berries. (Yes, the Dutch invented gin—the English just hijacked it.) More enlightened boozers might argue the exact European origins of these liquors, but who cares? Today, top quality whiskies, vodkas, and gins—crafted from high country streams, springs, and farms—are dripping through stills in a U.S. mountain town near you.

 

Whiskeys

Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey | Denver

Back story: Stranahan's barn catches fire; his firefighter-neighbor gets to hosing. Over an après-blaze whiskey, a two-man business is born. Tasters' Notes: robust, earthy, and autumnal; spicy on the nose— and on the lips; tobacco and pepper; smooth down the throat, then kicks you in the ass. Our take: Whiskey buffs will appreciate the boldness, sans ice. The timid should take it on the rocks. Drink it by a fire, during a blizzard—with a belly full of steak. stranahans.com

 

High West Rendezvous Whiskey | Park City, Utah

Back story: Barring bathtub-hooch by Jack Mormons, High West is Utah's first distillery since the 1870s, just a decade or so after teetotalistic LDS members descended on Utah. The distillery is also ski-in, ski-out. Tasters' Notes: cloves and honey; tempered smokiness—I could sip this for a while Our take: Subtlety runs through it. Drink it in the late afternoon, in Fruita or Moab as high desert temps plummet with the dropping John Wayne sun. highwest.com

 

Montana Rough Stock Whiskey | Bozeman

Back story: Husband-and-wife team Bryan and Kari Schultz grew up ranching in Big Sky country. The company's voice-mail greeting says it all: "We're either busy makin' whiskey, or busy drinkin' it." Tasters' Notes: cloves and honey; tempered smokiness—I could sip this for a while Our take: Subtlety runs through it. Drink it in the late afternoon, in Fruita or Moab as high desert temps plummet with the dropping John Wayne sun. montanawhiskey.com

 

Gins

Greylock Gin (by Berkshire Mountain Distillers) | Great Barrington, MA

Back story: Chris Weld bought a defunct Berkshires apple farm so he could turn the fruit into brandy. At a campfire in the Adirondacks, the notion struck him to maximize that license and make gin. (The brandy is still aging.) Tasters' Notes: Well-balanced, slightly floral, suddenly I'm loving gin; like a classic English gin, minus the papery dryness; I'm drinking it straight—I never drink gin straight Our take: A welcome addition to any martini glass, but sip a shot so you know what's tying that mixed drink together.

berkshoremountaindistillers.com

 

Dry Fly Gin | Spokane, WA

Back story: Two fly fishing buddies, angling on a glorious morning, agree that they must "find some way to share the natural beauty and purity of the great Northwest." And, hey, what's purer than making your own gin? Tasters' Notes: I know why they call it Dry Fly—it's D.R.Y.; clean and crisp; I'm no longer a bar fly, I'm a dry fly; not for the weak Our take: It'll put the "'dry" in a pre-dinner martini and shake your tonic water out of its breezy afternoon stupor. Mixology: Keep it simple so you can taste the gin. dryflydistilling.com

 

Cascade Mountain Handcrafted American Gin | Bend, Oregon

Back story: Jim Bendis gazed at a sprawling Oregon juniper forest and decided to couple it with the sweet water that tumbled down from the Cascades. His surname and hometown fit nicely into the company moniker—Bendistillery. Tasters' Notes: Eco-gin—I can taste the wild mountains and juniper; hints of Limoncello, nice over ice; a peppery finish; suspiciously green but surprisingly refreshing; no lime required in this G&T Our take: Just what you need to reinvent a bloodhound or a Tom Collins. bendistillery.com

 

Vodkas

Vermont Gold | St. Johnsbury, VT

Back story: CA retired anthropologist settles in northern Vermont, where there's plenty of time to distill vodka. But with what resource? What else Mistah Man? Maple syrup. Tasters' Notes: bright and lively; evokes pancakes more than it does nightclubs; there's a warmth to it—not what I'd expect from a vodka, but nice. Our take: A fine addition to rich fruit drinks (mango, passion fruit) and multi-ingredient cocktails, but it might get submissive in a Bloody Mary or a glass of club soda. vermontspirits.com

 

Telluride Vodka | Telluride, CO

Back story: Telluride local Brad McKenzie was "investigating" single malt scotches in Scotland when the idea struck him to distill his own sprits back home. He opted to make corn-based vodka using water from Colorado's San Juans. Tasters' Notes: bright and lively; evokes pancakes more than it does nightclubs; there's a warmth to it—not what I'd expect from a vodka, but nice. Our take: A fine addition to rich fruit drinks (mango, passion fruit) and multi-ingredient cocktails, but it might get submissive in a Bloody Mary or a glass of club soda. telluridevodka.com

 

Vodka 14 | Distilled in the Idaho Tetons; based in Boulder, CO

Back story: Then-energy consultant Matthew Baris was giving a microbrew tour of Boulder to an out-of-town friend, Jon Weiss. The two wondered if they could make vodka with mi-crobrew-caliber craftsmanship. The answer is in the bottle. Tasters' Notes: bright and lively; evokes pancakes more than it does nightclubs; there's a warmth to it—not what I'd expect from a vodka, but nice. Our take: A fine addition to rich fruit drinks (mango, passion fruit) and multi-ingredient cocktails, but it might get submissive in a Bloody Mary or a glass of club soda. vodka14.com

 

Tasting conducted at Mountain headquarters in Boulder, CO, and the Writers Junction, in Santa Monica, CA. Methodology: 100 percent unscientific.

 

From the Early Winter 2010 issue