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Five New York Distilleries Bringing Out the Best in Bourbon

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As featured at Wine Enthusiast

BY MARSHALL TILDEN IIITaconic Distillery's BourbonTaconic Distillery’s Bourbon / Photo by Catherine Frost

New York has become quite the hot spot when it comes to Bourbon production.

Contrary to popular belief, Bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky. In fact, the spirit can be produced anywhere in the United States as long as the mash to be distilled is at least 51% corn and the spirit is aged in new charred oak barrels.

What started as a few scattered upstart distilleries has transformed into a full-fledged Bourbon movement in the Empire State. You can find Bourbon operations throughout New York that match the quality of many of Kentucky’s historic distilleries.

Here are five of New York’s finest producers. They craft world-class Bourbon and offer enjoyable tasting experiences.

Tuthilltown Spirits

Tuthilltown, the first post-Prohibition distillery in New York, also produced the state’s first Bourbon, dubbed Hudson Baby Bourbon.

Although the distiller recently transformed its labels and brand names, the storied bottling, now dubbed Hudson Whiskey NY Bright Lights, Big Bourbon, is still a quintessential example. It has classic notes of caramel, spice and vanilla that are mild and approachable.

With the Jellystone Lazy River Campgrounds just a mile away, a visit here makes for the perfect day-trip excursion if you need to sip on something with a little kick while spending a weekend camping with the family. Don’t forget to also try its extensive line of rye whiskeys while you’re there.

Founder of Black Button Distilling Jason Barrett (L) and Master Distiller Jeff Fairbrother (R)
Founder of Black Button Distilling, Jason Barrett (L), and Master Distiller, Jeff Fairbrother (R) / Photo by James Bougue

Black Button Distilling

Black Button Distilling is home to a variety of complex and intriguing spirits. Based in Rochester, 90% of Black Button’s ingredients are grown in New York. And Black Button’s whiskeys are truly expressive of the character of the local corn and wheat.

Black Button Distilling's Four Grain Straight Bourbon
Black Button Distilling’s Four Grain Straight Bourbon / Photo by Gary Ledgerwood

Its entry-level whiskey, Four Grain Straight Bourbon (60% corn mash), is smooth and delivers a spicy finish. But its Single-Barrel and Double-Barrel Straight Bourbons showcase intense vanilla, oak and caramel notes. They exude balance with long, silky finishes.

If you’re an Irish cream fan, check out the Bespoke Bourbon Cream. Its sweet vanilla notes compliment the creamy texture and flavor.

Hillrock Distilling owners Jeffery Baker and Cathy Franklin
Hillrock Distilling owners Jeffery Baker and Cathy Franklin / Photo by Pierre Auguste

Hillrock Estate Distillery

This widely accoladed distillery is a legacy of the renowned late master distiller Dave Pickerell.

Hillrock is one of the few “field-to-glass” whiskey producers in the world, meaning the grain for its mash is all estate grown. Hillrock Estate is also the first American distillery since before Prohibition to craft whiskey on site from estate-grown grain.

Kara Newman, the spirits editor at Wine Enthusiast, gave the distillery’s popular Solera-Aged Bourbon a 96-point rating, noting its “peach and vanilla aromas, bold raisin and brown sugar flavors and a gentle exit that just hints at Sherry.”

Like many of the other distilleries, Hillrock Estate is in the Hudson Valley. Visit its early 19th-century restored Georgian house, taste its line of handcrafted spirits and enjoy the stunning landscapes.

Catskill Distilling Company

Nestled directly across from where the original Woodstock music festival took place (now the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts), Catskill Distilling is as innovative with its branding as it’s meticulous about spirit production.

The creative juices are on full display, from its 1960s-themed Peace Vodka to the The One and Only Buckwheat.

Most notable is its The Most Righteous Bourbon… and most righteous it is! It earned a 93-point score from Wine Enthusiast, where it’s “bold caramel and toffee aromas” proceeded a “long, mouthwatering finish.”

Bottling at Taconic Distillery
Bottling at Taconic Distillery / Photo by Catherine Frost

Taconic Distillery

Taconic, founded in 2013, is a relative newcomer to the state’s Bourbon game.

Its pet foxhound Copper (named after the color of their bourbon) graces each and every bottle. Located in scenic Hudson Valley, Taconic’s line of whiskeys now makes waves on a national scale.

The Dutchess Private Reserve Bourbon is an easy sipper that offers gentle notes of honey and vanilla. However, their Barrel Strength Bourbon is significantly bolder and deeper at 57.5% alcohol by volume (abv), so you might want to sit down with this body-warming selection.

Taconic’s farmhouse tasting room is located nearby to both Millbrook and Clinton Vineyards, two winery staples in the Hudson Valley. There are few better ways to spend a day than to sip on whiskey and wine amid the area’s abundant natural beauty.

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Not All Wine Competitions Are Created Equal

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Just like the best athletes in the world are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at the current Olympics in Rio, the best wines of the world can also receive similar awards at various wine competitions. However with the Olympics, you know that it is the best showcase of talent which is why those medals are so hard to earn and precious to the athletes’ who find themselves victorious. When it comes to wine competitions, it may not always be clear. Of course winning an award of any kind at a wine competition is an accomplishment, but not all wine competitions are created equal. Some are more like the Olympics while others are more like a regional qualifier.

WIne Olympics

For example, it only makes sense that wine competitions held in locations closer to certain world renown wine regions are going to draw a larger number of both higher quality wines as well as top tier judges. The same would go for competitions that are held in meccas of culinary and hospitality establishments such as New York, Los Angeles and London. These bigger and more prestigious competitions will also have a more rigid system of evaluation to ensure that there can be no favoritism based on brand or region, and implement a full blind tasting method. They would also make sure that those evaluating the wines were wine professionals who taste wine (to some degree) for a living, and not just collectors or people that simply enjoy wine. So it only makes sense that it is much more difficult to earn a medal or award from competitions such as the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition or the Decanter World Wine Awards than from smaller, more obscure event such as the Arizona Republic Wine Competition or even the Idaho Wine Competition… and yes, those do really exist!

So much like finding the right wine reviewer to follow that shares your palate when it comes to ratings and scores, it is also a good idea to check out the specific wine competition in which a particular wine was awarded a medal. It certainly won’t determine whether you will enjoy that specific wine, but it can give you an idea of what other similar wines it had to beat out in order to win that medal.