BY: JENN MURLEY, WATERSHED DISTILLERY MARKETING AND EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

Whenever I travel, I’m always on the lookout for the local distillery. William Faulkner once said, “civilization begins with distillation” and it’s a historical fact we live in a time closer to the invention of crystalized sugar than Cleopatra did to the invention of distillation. It’s that old. Historical comparisons aside, the fact of the matter is before there were massive companies churning out a dependable supply of your favorite spirit, there were locals, like you and I, who utilized their land and heirloom recipes to create something special for their community.

Leading tours through distilleries, I get to meet all kinds of people and hear all types of stories, but there are a few phrases that tend to resurface often like, “Our first date was at Watershed,” and, “We drove all the way from _____!” Similarly, when I tour different distilleries, there’s a wide variety of spaces and set ups, but a few things seem to stay consistent. Every distillery is comprised of a series of choices, and those choices culminate in a unique product and flavor profile. The fun and amazing thing about touring a distillery is having the chance to better understand each the choices, why they were made, and how much they impact the final product. I’ll tell you more about what I mean…

Alcohol is the sum of its surroundings.

Way back, when transporting goods wasn’t as easy as it is now, local distilleries made product from what they had in their own backyards. Subsequently, some craft spirits still utilize what is agriculturally familiar to them, or within their geographic region. like Watershed, many distilleries work hard to source their core ingredients as close to home as possible. Even products like vodka, which can be made from…well, just about anything, will often be sourced from crops native to the country, state, or even city of origin. However, in an age of accessibility, the doors have swung wide open on sourcing potential, and ingredients can come from far and wide. Barring any regulatory or legal restrictions, you can make most spirits just about anywhere (including bourbon, so long as you follow the “bourbon rules” and are in the United States of America). Some distilleries will choose to make product based on their heritage or interests rather than the land on which the distillery sits -- this is all part of what makes every distillery so unique, and tours worthwhile. It would be impossible to know every story behind every bottle.

The Difference is in the Details.

Of course, distilleries that make different spirts will be varied in their equipment, layout, and storage capabilities, but what about distilleries that make the same product? The answer is in the spirits. From wheat to rye, from low proof to high proof, single barrel to small batch, barrel to barrel -- no bourbon is the same. You can even use the same ingredients and get completely different flavor profiles. Beam, Maker’s, Knob Creek, and Old Taylor all boast the same mash bill, but are all unique in their own way. Similar to wine, bourbon has over 200 distinct notes detectable to the human nose. Easy-to-overlook things like fermentation temperature, type of yeast, type of still, and even the location of the barrel in the warehouse can have a big impact on the flavor of the finished bourbon

While you’re touring any distilleries, I encourage you to ask questions, take note, compare and contrast, but don’t judge. Understand that, even if the product being produced may not be something you enjoy, the processes utilized and history behind them emphasize a great piece of our cultural fabric. Distillation should be celebrated not only for its historical (and consumable) gifts to society but also for the tremendous diversity and creativity within it. I really believe that you are not a true bourbon fan until you’re a distillery fan, and I encourage you to try our distillery tour, or others anywhere you travel. The nuances are incredibly special and the stories are rich.

Good news!

If you’re in the mood for distillery tours. We have safely resumed our tours as of this spring, and we’re scheduling more over the coming weeks to accommodate increased interest. To learn more about our tours or book your spot, visit https://www.watersheddistillery.com/tours.

Hope to see you on a tour soon!