BERKSHIRE MOUNTAIN

When Chris Weld, founder and master distiller at Berkshire Mountain Distillers, was thirteen years old, he set about building a still for his eighth-grade science project. "My dad was a Scotch drinker, so Id gotten it in my head that I wanted to build my very own still," he says. When he learned that distilling spirits without a license was a federal offense, "well, that kind of put the kibosh on the whole plan."In 2007, he decided to try again. After purchasing some property in the shadow of the Berkshire Mountains in Sheffield, Massachusetts, Weld opened the doors to Berkshire Mountain Distillers. At the time, the land was little more than a dilapidated apple farm, but it did sport a legendary hot spring that was once deemed to produce the finest water in the world. Back in the 19th century, the water from the spring was thought to be so curative and therapeutic that people would travel across the country in order to drink from it. While Weld doesnt claim that the spring water which is rich in minerals and naturally granite-filtered has any mystical healing powers, he does swear by it.The towns first legal distillery since Prohibition, Berkshire Mountain Distillers is a genuine artisanal brand, crafting award-winning spirits in small batches, whilst supporting local agriculture by using regionally sourced ingredients. Their Islay inspired smoke and peat series bourbon features their award-winning Berkshire bourbon, previously aged in virgin American white oak barrels, before being transferred to freshly emptied Islay single malt casks, finishing in the heavily peated smoked casks for just the right amount of time, yielding a whiskey with versatile appeal. Pick up your bottle today!