Friday 9 May 2014

WHISKEY: Michigan Made

Michigan probably isn't one of the places you might associate with whiskey, thing is craft distilling is a growing business in all corners of the state continuing from a boom which began in 2008 and is still growing.  Being a bit of a whiskey drinker myself, I thought it was high time I took to trying some of Michigan's own produce.

Whiskey

The first was very close to home. Just a couple of miles away in Ferndale is the Valentine Distilling Company, while probably more known for it's premium and award winning vodka, the company was the first to begin operating as a distillery in the area since prohibition. Detroit's automobile heritage is all over the bottle - from the whiskey's Woodward name - a historic road between Detroit and Pontiac to it's eye catching and bold label - something Valentine always does right. While Woodward is technically a bourbon it's made from over 50% corn with rye and malted barley making up the rest. It tastes more like a rye whiskey, it's as sweet as one too. Aged for four years in a maple syrup infused American oak cask, it's a lovely sweet, rye, cinnamon tasting whiskey. A lot of people cast aside whiskey because of the burning throat sensation (for want of a better description there I must add) but in fact there is none.

Whiskey

Serve it straight on the rocks and you can't go wrong - it's currently my favourite. Made in a limited edition, Woodward Whiskey will set you back about $37 and it's well worth every cent - make sure to check out their distribution map if it's in a state near you!

Whiskey

Another whiskey from a little further north is from the Traverse City Whiskey Company, from you guessed it, Traverse City. Infused with cherries (this area of Michigan is big with cherry harvesting and festivals don't ya know) this American Cherry Bourbon actually has the hand labelled batch number, in my instance numero 001, I'm not sure if they makes me super lucky or not but there you go. As you would hope there is a lovely cherry scent to the bourbon although it somewhat is lacking in the cherry taste, there's a hint it's there but nothing more. It's very mellow, it doesn't scream cherry flavoring nor does it scream a rye spicy flavor either. It's tempered and cool and would, I imagine go perfectly well with ice cream and cherry pie, or just as a mixer in your cola if that's your thing. According to their website, the Traverse City Whiskey Co., seem to have big plans ahead hopefully this whiskey is a sign of things to come and I certainly wouldn't turn down sampling their straight Whiskey either.

Whiskey

This is the cheaper whiskey of the pair, a 750ml bottle setting you back a decent $29. If you happen to live here in the Mitten this whiskey seems pretty easy to come across, they also have a presence in Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Florida and California, again check out their retail finder for more information.

You can always click back to check out my other whiskey recommendations here if you're new to whiskey or fancy trying something different.

Do you have any favorite locally made food and drinks?
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16 comments:

  1. These sound interesting! I've never heard of them! My dad found some
    Michigan made vodka. One that is supposed to taste like a root beer barrel and one like Swedish fish! I haven't tried them yet but and dying too!

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    1. There's some great vodkas made in Michigan, I know Valentine do one that we've brought and I really like (and i'm not much of a vodka drinker). Joe was telling me a while ago about the Swedish Fish one, that sounds really fun!

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  2. I'm so behind, but I quite enjoying catching up with your blog.
    Firstly, that's so so many boxes in your house, but at least the cat is comfy!

    Chip-wise, Belgium raves about it fries, but they are nothing compared to the chips back home. I don't even know how to explain them to people who are blind to the fact that another type of chip might exist. They don't know what they are missing out on here. I do love seeing Joe with his arms folded in the photo waiting to eat, I usually get Kris to move his out the way! haha.

    Music wise, I always shy away from the question for some reason. I just hate it. But I've come to accept over the years that music is individual and everyone likes a little of whatever. For me, I'm partial to Rock music leaning towards to metal side, where as Kris prefers his Rock music leaning towards the indie side. I'll always have a soft spot for 'terrible emo music' because that's what my teenage angst was made of ;)

    I'm jealous that you can actually go to a bakery in the afternoon and it still be open too! And I really like your new embroidery project. Kind of like a silhouette of the state. I think would have looked cool in two colours, but you know rules and all. Wouldn't want to be breaking no rules!

    I know nothing about whisky, so I probably should have left my comment on the previous post, but I do like the colour of the liquid and the bottle designs :)

    Isn't this the most epic comment ever! I expect a reply!! ;)

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    1. My word woman you go to town on your comments! Now I feel like I have to write an essay in reply haha. Yeah he calls me a hipster sometimes for taking photographs of my food, he just wanted to eat, I don't blame him for that they were tasty tasty!

      Bakeries are open for crazy long hours here, opening till like 9 or 10 at night and they always still have so much fresh stuff left. That bakery is like heaven, kinda wish I lived closer but yeah, my waist line would double.

      Is is wrong to buy or be more tempted by a whiskey because of the bottle shape and it's design? Cuz I am .... the Valentine vodka has a picture illustration of a pin up girl on the front. I like stuff like that, I don't have much vodka, but I like the bottle lol.

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    2. I just want a spirits cupboard for all the fancy bottles!

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    3. And for that I do not blame you!

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  3. I didn't know that whiskey distilling was a big thing in Michigan now - interesting. But I moved away from the midwest in 2008 so I guess my timing was bad for that. :)

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    1. Yeah liquor and craft beers are becoming a big hit around the Mid West i've noticed.

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  4. I never knew Michigan had some of its very own whiskeys! I'm actually from Ferndale so that was pretty cool to learn! :D

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    1. Yeah they've been springing up for sure in the last couple of years. Valentine in Ferndale makes their own Vodka, Whiskey and a rum now and there's a couple of Corktown too. There's a lot, lot of vodkas coming out from around the state lately too.

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  5. I can't bring myself to like whiskey - although to be fair I would be drinking whisky ;) That being said the bottle design alone in your first picture MAKES me want to try it. Bit weird, huh? My dad used to work in a distillery years ago, like before I was born.
    Debi x

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    1. The Valentine brand do some really swanky logo's that's for sure and their bottles always stand out. Still you can never go wrong with taking it right back and having a glass of whisky that's for sure!

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  6. I really wish I like Whiskey - I love it theory but I just cant handle the taste!

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    1. That's why I always recommend Rye based whiskey's, they tend to be sweets and there's non of after taste that some people don't like.

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  7. I have to admit that for a Scottish person I'm not very keen on Whisky due to the burny sensation that you spoke about, maybe American Whiskys are a bit different but the Cherry one sounded quite nice. I think the cherry one along with some Coke would probably taste like an alcoholic Dr Pepper drink :) which would be tasty. The closest that I get to American Whisky is getting the Jack Daniels Glaze on my steak at TGI's but you really seem to know your Whiskys!!

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    1. Well the rye style of whiskey in general doesn't have that sharp sensation, or you pay a little extra and you notice there's less of that sharpness that you certainly find in the bottom end of the whiskey.

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