FALL 2010
celebratedliving.com
22
Mastering
their
Craft
SHAKERSVODKA
Theuniquemartini-shaker-
shapedbottleholds vodka
that’s beendistilled six
times through a continuous
distillationprocess.
shakersvodka.com
BLUECOAT
AMERICANDRYGIN
Gin that’s craft distilled
in a custom-built, hand-
hammered copper pot
still usingorganic juniper
berries. bluecoatgin.com
HAUTEVODKA
HipHaute is createdwith a
blendof American corn and
grain andpure springwater
by a seventh-generation,
award-winningmaster
distiller. hautevodka.com
MCCARTHY’SOREGON
SINGLEMALTWHISKEY
Made frompeat-malted
barleybrought in fromScot-
land, this smoothwhiskey
has a surprisingly cleanfin-
ish. clearcreekdistillery.com
FOXVODKAAND
MOSTWANTEDVODKA
Kansas-grownwheat
impartsmildhints of
praline, buttercream, and
eggnogonFoxVodka,
whileMostWantedhas a
snappy, peppery fade.
foxvodka.com
FORATASTEOFGREATAMERICAN-MADEARTISANAL
LIQUOR, TRYONEOFTHESESMALL-BATCHSPIRITS.
— L.S.
S
ince thedaysofProhibition,Americanshavebeen find-
ingcleverways toconcoct theirownspirits.Today, as
manystates further relax their liquor-making laws—
thusenablingsmall-batchdistilleries toenter themarket—ar-
tisansareperfecting theircraftandproducinghigh-endspirits
that cancompetewith thoseproducedby the largedistilleries.
PatCouteaux (picturedabove),masterdistiller forone
suchventure, SHAKERSVodka, andoneof theoriginal forces
behindPete’sWickedAle, compares today’smicrodistillery
boom to themicrobreweryboomof the 1990s. “Just asmicro-
breweries showed that theU.S. couldproducegreat beer,
microdistilleriesareproving thatAmerica canmakegreat
vodka.”Andmanyother spirits too.
Oneappeal of artisanal spirits isgettinga tasteof the local
flavor.McCarthy’sOregonSingleMaltWhiskey isaged in
barrelsmade fromair-driedOregonoak,whileHighPlains
Distillery’sFoxVodka isproducedona farm inKansasusing
grains from theheartland.And InfiniteSpirits sources ingre-
dients for itsSHAKERSVodka fromagroupofMinnesota
wheat and rye farmers.
SethFox,whoseHighPlainsDistilleryalsoproduces the
hip-in-HollywoodHauteVodka (it’sbeenpouredat pre-Oscar
partiesaswellasatpartiesat theSundanceFilmFestival), says
“youcanget awidevariationof taste frommicrodistilleries
becauseeachonehasadifferentwayof doing things,much
likeawinery. Thismakes it veryexciting forpeople that are
looking for thenext unique taste for spirits.”
— LORI STACY
SPIRITS
