Hillrock

In the early 1800s, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the countrys original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930s, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills. Today, in a 19th century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Pickerell, who graduated from West Point with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry, served in the military for 11 years as a cavalry officer before receiving his Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Pickerell then served as Master Distiller as Makers Mark in Loretto, Kentucky for 13 years. There, he was responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of Makers Mark Bourbon. A former chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a member of the Distilled Spirits Council, Pickerell is an expert nonpareil in the production of whiskey.Hillrock Estate Double Cask Rye Whiskey is handcrafted by Pickerell from small batches of organically grown rye that are harvested from the Hillrock Estate. Once the rye has been harvested, it is mashed and fermented, before being distilled through Pickerells custom-made, 250-gallon copper-pot still. The still, which was built in Kentucky to Pickerells exact specifications, gives the distiller extraordinary control over the character and quality of the whiskey produced.Following distillation, the rye whiskey is matured in traditional oak casks before being double-barreled, or finished, in secondary casks. The secondary casks are composed of American oak and have been charred with a #4 char. In addition, the staves of the secondary casks were air-seasoned for over two years prior to the casks assembly. As a result, the secondary casks contribute strong notes of vanilla and caramelized wood sugars to the rye, while minimizing bitter tannins that are often present in kiln dried oak.Double Cask Rye has a deep golden amber color, along with a warm aroma of vanilla and caramel that is complemented by touches of prunes, apricots and rye. The aroma gives way to notes of caramel and rye, along with touches of cloves, cinnamon and butterscotch, and leads to a long, warming finish.Hillrock Double Cask Rye is a reflection of New Yorks rich history and its unique terroir. Pick up a bottle today!

In the early 1800s, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the countrys original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930s, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills.Today, in a 19th-century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, this distillery pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Hillrock was co-founded by Jeffrey Baker and the late David Pickerell of Makers Mark fame.Hillrock Estate Double Cask Rye Whiskey was created by Pickerell from small batches of organically grown rye that are harvested from the Hillrock Estate. Once the rye has been harvested, it is mashed and fermented, before being distilled through Pickerells custom-made, 250-gallon copper-pot still. The still, which was built in Kentucky to Pickerells exact specifications, gives the distiller extraordinary control over the character and quality of the whiskey produced.Following distillation, the rye whiskey is matured in traditional charred oak casks before being double-barreled, or finished, in secondary casks. This expression the Hillrock Double Cask Rye Whiskey Sauternes Finish employs French Sauternes wine casks. This way the spicy rye gets additional notes of dried fruit and citrus, resulting in a delicately balanced and unique whiskey.Pick up a bottle today!

In the early 1800s, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the countrys original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930s, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills.Today, in a 19th century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Pickerell, who graduated from West Point with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry, served in the military for 11 years as a cavalry officer before receiving his Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Then, Pickerell served as Master Distiller as Makers Mark in Loretto, Kentucky for 13 years. There, he was responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of Makers Mark Bourbon. A former chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a member of the Distilled Spirits Council, Pickerell is an expert nonpareil in the production of whiskey.Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon was the worlds first solera aged bourbon. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As whiskey from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of whiskey from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new whiskey. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger whiskey ages and cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time.This solera-aged Hillrock expression is aged partially in rare Premier Cru Sauternes wine casks. Sauternes wine, also known as the nectar of the gods, has a signature balance of sweetness and acidity, with nutty flavors and notes of apricots, honey and peaches. Crafted in the Graves section of Bordeaux, the grapes are influenced by Botrytis fungus also known as noble rot, which causes the grapes to become slightly raisined, yielding a concentrated, unique flavor profile that is imparted onto this special bourbon.Get your bottle today!

In the early 1800s, the State of New York was responsible for the production of more than half of the barley and rye harvested in the United States. The Hudson Valley, which extends from New York City northward through Albany, was the countrys original breadbasket and was home to thousands of farms, hundreds of which distilled the excess grains they harvested into whiskey. In the 1930s, the onset of Prohibition forced these farmers to abandon their stills.Today, in a 19th century Georgian mansion situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell pays homage to the New York farmers who produced their whiskey from grains to glass. Pickerell, who graduated from West Point with a Bachelors degree in Chemistry, served in the military for 11 years as a cavalry officer before receiving his Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville. Then, Pickerell served as Master Distiller as Makers Mark in Loretto, Kentucky for 13 years. There, he was responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of Makers Mark Bourbon. A former chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association and a member of the Distilled Spirits Council, Pickerell is an expert nonpareil in the production of whiskey.Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon is the worlds first solera aged bourbon. Solera aging is a process that has generally been reserved for aging cognacs, ports and sherries. It involves filling a series of casks at different intervals over a long period of time. As whiskey from the oldest cask is emptied and bottled, the cask is re-filled with an equivalent amount of whiskey from the second-oldest cask in the solera. This cascading effect continues until the youngest cask in the solera is filled with new whiskey. As a result, no cask in the solera is ever fully emptied. In addition, as the younger whiskey ages and cascades through the solera, its average age and complexity gradually increases over time.Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon marries Hillrock Estate Bourbon with a mature seed bourbon that was carefully sourced by Pickerell. After cascading through the solera, Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon is finished in 20 year old Oloroso Sherry casks. The finishing process balances the spicy rye flavors of the bourbon and adds further complexity, with layers of fig, roasted walnuts and candied fruit. The current age of Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon is over six years and the rye content is approximately 37 percent.Hillrock Bourbon was named one of the Top 50 Spirits of 2013 by Wine Enthusiast (it was ranked the #2 bourbon), which gave it a score of 96 points. It also earned the SiIlver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013.Pick up a bottle today!