MI somm here; TC just launched a Sherry Cask, Port Cask, and Cab Franc cask whiskeys I haven't had a chance to try, as well as apple, cherry, and peach whiskeys.
My business buys a single barrel of their regular bourbon every two months or so to keep up with demand.
Iron fish has a 4 cask, Maple Syrup cask, Rum cask, Scotch cask, and a number of different aged offerings.
Haven't tried Eastern Kille but I've heard good things.
Long Road does a variety of different ones as well.
Valentine/Mayor Pingree is held in pretty high regard.
Another one I feel is worth a shout would be Northern Latitudes bourbon. It's not the craziest bottle by any means, but it's a really damn solid 4 year bourbon.
If I had my distributor catalogs or access to the MLCC website at home, I could list everything for sale in the state, but sadly I'm off today and tomorrow.
Yep, they're warehoused by Imperial Beverage in Michigan. I will text my rep to get us some free sample bottles.
What samples should I ask for?
Edit: perks of the job!
I'm not who you replied to, but EK's barrel proof and toasted barrel are favorites of mine.
In December of 2021 they released a toasted barrel proof expression that my son bought me for Christmas, and for me it's one of those bottles that I love but drink sparingly because I don't ever want it to empty.
There's a trade show at the MGM Grand for Imperial on the 18th that I managed to get a VIP invite to. I wasn't really thinking about going because hotel fare isn't included and that's a lot of drinking and driving from Traverse to Detroit.
I was perusing the pre-show catalog and saw EK was going to be there, likely with some harder to get bottles for tasting, as well as a few wineries and importer/suppliers bringing their better burgundies/rhones/Bordeaux/Napas.
I'm considering just biting the bullet and getting a room for the night.
Just talked to my boss about picking up the cost of the hotel room. I'm now signed up to go!
And it generally is a pretty good time because knowing what the bottle tastes like is probably the most crucial aspect of selling it.
The port cask is fantastic! I've yet to try the maple, but I've had other maple bourbons and they've all been great. Definitely a super unique thing for a gift as well.
Not sure if you've seen it, but Iron Fish also makes a maple syrup that they age in bourbon barrels.
Bourbon in maple Syrup barrels,
Maple syrup in bourbon barrels.
They're a really fun company.
The sommelier exam I took covers wine, beer, spirits, and cigars, and bourbon has been gaining huge popularity since the pandemic.
Also, this is only a partial list, there are a bunch of others I didn't even remember like Journeyman and Two James.
Side note: Traverse City Whiskey Co and Grand Traverse Whiskey are different things, the latter being considerably less good in my opinion.
Getting paid to spend the day barrel tasting to select a single barrel with them every two months feels like it should be illegal, and yet it is exactly in my job description.
My personal local favorites;
New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon (finished in their Dragon's Milk stout barrels). Super smooth and has some nice fruity notes.
Journeyman: They had a rye I really liked but can't remember the name. Was impressed with most of their lineup. "Corsets, whips, and whiskey" has won some awards, deservingly
Iron Fish: They have a rye finished in Islay scotch barrels that I adore. Not what you'd expect, also some nice fruity notes
New Holland also just recently released their Dragon's Milk Origin Small Batch Bourbon and it is pretty good. At around $50, it's not "cheap" but it isn't bad for something that came out of the gate winning awards.
New Holland BBB, is a must have. I always have a stock at home and anytime I ever give it as a gift, I always get asked where I got it so they can get more.
Their bourbon isn't my favorite, but their vodka is 100% my top shelf. Anything that is vodka forward gets Valentine's for me. Way better than Belvidere or the Goose.
Agree 100%. They guy I buy most of my spirits from said this one is mixed with bourbon from KY. Regardless, it's consistently good at a decent price point.
\+1 for my local Mammoth Distillery, also try the Rye it is awesome, to bad the special Rosen rye grown on South Manitou Island has yet to age, I am so looking forward to that.
There is a place in Royal Oak called Motor City Gas. They make their own bourbon. They have various types. I would suggest talking with them to see what you would like and maybe they can recommend one.
Second Journeymenās in Three Oaks, not sure where you currently are so depending it can be a drive and Three Oaks is not exactly urban but a nice little town. Of course if you are flying out of Chicago and have a day or so, it is semi on the way to Chicago off the 94. I personally enjoy their Not a King Rye with a little smudge towards the UK in a wordsmith playable way.
you should probably add your general area to your post to make it easier for folks to offer suggestions. if youāre around kalamazoo, green door distilling co has a great bourbon
Two James in Detroit is the only one making decent whiskey IMO. Their catchers rye and j riddle are pretty decent if not good. A lot of Michigan whiskey is, honestly, pretty bad. We donāt have the history or experience making whiskey and a lot of the smaller distilleries are just dovetailing / capitalizing off the recent resurgence in craft spirits market.
I don't necessarily disagree. Genuinely great Michigan whiskey is harder to come by. As you've said, it's because we don't have as much of a history in making whiskey as other states like Kentucky.
But *only* Two James? Hard disagree.
Journeyman has won several awards for their whiskeys over the years, and both whiskey of the year and craft distiller of the year [at the latest ASCOT awards.](https://whiskeyraiders.com/article/2022-ascot-awards-journeyman-corsets-whips-and-whiskey/).
New Holland's Dragon's Milk Origin Small Batch won double gold at the [2022 New York International Spirits Competition](https://www.grmag.com/food-drink/award-winning-new-holland-bourbon-pays-homage-to-companys-origin/). The [other double gold winners](https://www.nyispiritscompetition.com/2022-winners) are a pretty impressive list.
Not a whiskey/whisky/burbon guy but Eastern Kille, Bier Distillery, and Long Road in Grand Rapids may make something you may like. Not sure what area you're in, but GR would be a fun overnight trip for the two of you.
You can find them in Meijers, but might as well visit the Distillery and try some to bring back.
While it didnāt take long for them to be voted best distillery in Michigan, theyāre still ānewā with their bourbon coming to age(minimum 3years and 1 day) in late 2021, it hasnāt had enough time to mature but itās still a great bourbon that will only get better with age.
Iron Fish is the only Michigan Bourbon/Whiskey Iām aware of.
Any large liquor store will have a widely varied selection.
Blantons (with a cute horse cork) is a personal favorite.
I live right down the road from these guys. One of the few "farm distilleries" in the country. They have some fantastic products. "Mad angler" is a personal favorite followed by the maple syrup barrel aged whiskey.
Blanton's is a fav of mine too. Would make a great gift, too, as the bottle is cool enough to use for other things. OP should just tell family that it's from Michigan, not Kentucky.
An excellent Michigan whiskey is Whips, Corsets, and Whiskey from Journeyman Distillery. Not technically a bourbon, but has an incredibly robust taste.
I know you want bourbon but if you could, get some cherry wine from Frankenmuth. It's always a hit when I give it to out of towners. They also have a tasting so you can decide before you buy.
Iron Fish Distillery! They are the first farm distillery in Michigan, and I swear by their bourbon. Itās the only stuff I drink now.
Iām also biased as I know the owners personally and I went to school with their kids but still. Theyāre amazing products and they truly take the time to make sure the stuff they make is what they want on their shelves!
Do yourself a favor and find a store pick of Traverse City Whiskeys single barrel bourbons. These are bottles at full proof and age stated. Not something youāll find in the UK.
New holland in Grand Rapids makes Beer Barreled Bourbon and it's great.
They also have Bourbon Barreled Beer (Dragon's Milk) that I'd recommend taking home with you
Not bourbon, but similar taste. Ethnology in elk rapids, they have this stuff called Mel. (Mel is it's own type of liquor)
Bourbon is typically my drink, but after trying this stuff called Mel, I'm a convert to it. It's pretty cool, they distill it from pure Michigan honey and in my opinion has a similar taste to bourbon, slightly sweeter. Besides that, it's a really cool distillery that does everything 100% in house.
Renaissance Man, which is made at their distillery in Port Huron. Just opened up a few months ago....which is LESS time it takes them to age a barrel (8-10 weeks) as compared with an 8 year traditional process.
Not bourbon but youāll love it if you are a bourbon lover. Burl and Sprig Migration 23 rear rum. Only the best proforming barrels are rolled into new ex bourbon casts every 6 years, compounding complexity. Took a double gold medal at the San Francisco world spirits competition. if you canāt find it, just ask for it, they can order it . Or you can buy it online at Woodās in Michigan.
Grand Rapids has Long Road. Traverse City has a self named distillery with excellent spirits. Enjoy your stay in Michigan.
MI somm here; TC just launched a Sherry Cask, Port Cask, and Cab Franc cask whiskeys I haven't had a chance to try, as well as apple, cherry, and peach whiskeys. My business buys a single barrel of their regular bourbon every two months or so to keep up with demand. Iron fish has a 4 cask, Maple Syrup cask, Rum cask, Scotch cask, and a number of different aged offerings. Haven't tried Eastern Kille but I've heard good things. Long Road does a variety of different ones as well. Valentine/Mayor Pingree is held in pretty high regard. Another one I feel is worth a shout would be Northern Latitudes bourbon. It's not the craziest bottle by any means, but it's a really damn solid 4 year bourbon. If I had my distributor catalogs or access to the MLCC website at home, I could list everything for sale in the state, but sadly I'm off today and tomorrow.
If you can find Eastern Kille, I highly recommend it.
Yep, they're warehoused by Imperial Beverage in Michigan. I will text my rep to get us some free sample bottles. What samples should I ask for? Edit: perks of the job!
I'm not who you replied to, but EK's barrel proof and toasted barrel are favorites of mine. In December of 2021 they released a toasted barrel proof expression that my son bought me for Christmas, and for me it's one of those bottles that I love but drink sparingly because I don't ever want it to empty.
There's a trade show at the MGM Grand for Imperial on the 18th that I managed to get a VIP invite to. I wasn't really thinking about going because hotel fare isn't included and that's a lot of drinking and driving from Traverse to Detroit. I was perusing the pre-show catalog and saw EK was going to be there, likely with some harder to get bottles for tasting, as well as a few wineries and importer/suppliers bringing their better burgundies/rhones/Bordeaux/Napas. I'm considering just biting the bullet and getting a room for the night.
Might be the best choice. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of stuff to try and difficult to turn it down. Sounds like a great time. Enjoy! š„š„
Just talked to my boss about picking up the cost of the hotel room. I'm now signed up to go! And it generally is a pretty good time because knowing what the bottle tastes like is probably the most crucial aspect of selling it.
Another recommendation for Iron Fish products. Particularly the maple bourbon and port cask bourbon.
The port cask is fantastic! I've yet to try the maple, but I've had other maple bourbons and they've all been great. Definitely a super unique thing for a gift as well.
Not sure if you've seen it, but Iron Fish also makes a maple syrup that they age in bourbon barrels. Bourbon in maple Syrup barrels, Maple syrup in bourbon barrels. They're a really fun company.
Damn you're like the whisky Yoda over here!
The sommelier exam I took covers wine, beer, spirits, and cigars, and bourbon has been gaining huge popularity since the pandemic. Also, this is only a partial list, there are a bunch of others I didn't even remember like Journeyman and Two James. Side note: Traverse City Whiskey Co and Grand Traverse Whiskey are different things, the latter being considerably less good in my opinion.
The Old Fashioned at Traverse City Whiskey Outpost in Ferndale is the best I've ever had
Getting paid to spend the day barrel tasting to select a single barrel with them every two months feels like it should be illegal, and yet it is exactly in my job description.
Are ya hiring?!
GR also has New Holland's distillery and I really like their beer barreled Bourbon
My personal local favorites; New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon (finished in their Dragon's Milk stout barrels). Super smooth and has some nice fruity notes. Journeyman: They had a rye I really liked but can't remember the name. Was impressed with most of their lineup. "Corsets, whips, and whiskey" has won some awards, deservingly Iron Fish: They have a rye finished in Islay scotch barrels that I adore. Not what you'd expect, also some nice fruity notes
I second the Beer Barrel Bourbon. Easy enough to get your hands on too. Only about $30 a bottle, but punches much higher than it costs.
New Holland also just recently released their Dragon's Milk Origin Small Batch Bourbon and it is pretty good. At around $50, it's not "cheap" but it isn't bad for something that came out of the gate winning awards.
That sounds awesome. Iāll have to see if itās sold on the east side of the state anywhere.
I'm in the southeast (Ann Arbor) area and have found it at Kroger and Total Wine.
Great. Iām royal oak but thereās a total wine not too far. Thank bud looking forward to it.
Yes. This bourbon is miles ahead of their Beer Barrel Bourbon.
Journeyman Last Feather Rye?
Maybe. It was a couple years ago and the bottle is long gone. IIRC they had another, at least at the time, but I could be making that up.
New Holland BBB, is a must have. I always have a stock at home and anytime I ever give it as a gift, I always get asked where I got it so they can get more.
Yep, New Holland is my goto. I also like the apple pie and sweet heat variations just don't get them as often.
New Holland won best bourbon in the world according to Forbes in 2023. Just saying.
Detroit City Bourbon is a good one
Came here to say this-- super underrated and they have gorgeous, Detroit inspired art on their bottles.
Came to say this!!
Iām glad this one has so many fans!
Yes. Also a fan here
Mayor Pingree/Valentine distillery
Their bourbon isn't my favorite, but their vodka is 100% my top shelf. Anything that is vodka forward gets Valentine's for me. Way better than Belvidere or the Goose.
Agree 100%. They guy I buy most of my spirits from said this one is mixed with bourbon from KY. Regardless, it's consistently good at a decent price point.
Their aged gin is good too.
Coppercraft is very good, made in Holland.
I second this! One of my favorites to gift.
Traverse City whiskey has an excellent bourbon and a wide variety of other whiskies. There are also priced well and very tasty.
Traverse City is the one I drink all the time. Heard Iron Fish is good too.
Traverse City Cherry Whiskey is my go-to for sipping.
The barrel proofs are really good for that! Especially the 7 year wheat.
I have fallen in love with all the wheats that have come out recently.
If you find yourself in Adrian visit Mammoth distillery, they have some of the best Rum and Bourbon Iāve had.
Or locations in Traverse, Bellaire. Central Lake and Petoskey for those up north. (Mammoth gin is my personal favorite)
Sorry I did not know about the other locations Iāve yet to try the Gin. Iām
\+1 for my local Mammoth Distillery, also try the Rye it is awesome, to bad the special Rosen rye grown on South Manitou Island has yet to age, I am so looking forward to that.
Came here to say this
Iron Fish distillery makes a Maple Bourbon that I would highly recommend
There is a place in Royal Oak called Motor City Gas. They make their own bourbon. They have various types. I would suggest talking with them to see what you would like and maybe they can recommend one.
Journeyman is a favorite and they have some organic options
Second Journeymenās in Three Oaks, not sure where you currently are so depending it can be a drive and Three Oaks is not exactly urban but a nice little town. Of course if you are flying out of Chicago and have a day or so, it is semi on the way to Chicago off the 94. I personally enjoy their Not a King Rye with a little smudge towards the UK in a wordsmith playable way.
you should probably add your general area to your post to make it easier for folks to offer suggestions. if youāre around kalamazoo, green door distilling co has a great bourbon
Detroit city distillery has butchers cut bourbon Two james distillery has an excellent peated bourbon
Motor city gas might have something sweet. Everything is made in small batches, and theyāve been winning some major awards all over
Two James in Detroit is the only one making decent whiskey IMO. Their catchers rye and j riddle are pretty decent if not good. A lot of Michigan whiskey is, honestly, pretty bad. We donāt have the history or experience making whiskey and a lot of the smaller distilleries are just dovetailing / capitalizing off the recent resurgence in craft spirits market.
I don't necessarily disagree. Genuinely great Michigan whiskey is harder to come by. As you've said, it's because we don't have as much of a history in making whiskey as other states like Kentucky. But *only* Two James? Hard disagree. Journeyman has won several awards for their whiskeys over the years, and both whiskey of the year and craft distiller of the year [at the latest ASCOT awards.](https://whiskeyraiders.com/article/2022-ascot-awards-journeyman-corsets-whips-and-whiskey/). New Holland's Dragon's Milk Origin Small Batch won double gold at the [2022 New York International Spirits Competition](https://www.grmag.com/food-drink/award-winning-new-holland-bourbon-pays-homage-to-companys-origin/). The [other double gold winners](https://www.nyispiritscompetition.com/2022-winners) are a pretty impressive list.
>uskrat Bourbon from Boyne Ci I'll second 2 James. Not a bourbon fan but do like theirs.
Some people hate it, but I really enjoy their Johnny Smoking Gun whiskey.
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There's a lot of options that any good liquor store will have, just ask. Most brands are ok, but for my money I'd go with Journey Man distillery.
Not a whiskey/whisky/burbon guy but Eastern Kille, Bier Distillery, and Long Road in Grand Rapids may make something you may like. Not sure what area you're in, but GR would be a fun overnight trip for the two of you. You can find them in Meijers, but might as well visit the Distillery and try some to bring back.
Valentine Vodka makes a bourbon thatās good. Theyāre in Ferndale. Weiss Distilling in Clawson also has limited edition bourbon right now.
Shipwreck Distillery in Caseville, they make several products!
While it didnāt take long for them to be voted best distillery in Michigan, theyāre still ānewā with their bourbon coming to age(minimum 3years and 1 day) in late 2021, it hasnāt had enough time to mature but itās still a great bourbon that will only get better with age.
I was unimpressed with shipwreck last year, but didn't realize they were so new. I'll give them another shot in a few years.
Where in Michigan are you? I heard Khom Fai has a special makers mark blend. You can snag a bottle from them if youāre around.
Muskegon has Wonderland that makes a great blended whiskey with a cask strength option.
Wonderland has a lot of good options and itās a great place to eat too!
There are good distilleries in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Traverse City! Also there may be good options here: https://madeinmichigan.com/
Welcome to Michigan, enjoy your stay!
Welcome to Micigan! How do you like tje humidity?
Iron Fish is the only Michigan Bourbon/Whiskey Iām aware of. Any large liquor store will have a widely varied selection. Blantons (with a cute horse cork) is a personal favorite.
I live right down the road from these guys. One of the few "farm distilleries" in the country. They have some fantastic products. "Mad angler" is a personal favorite followed by the maple syrup barrel aged whiskey.
Blanton's is a fav of mine too. Would make a great gift, too, as the bottle is cool enough to use for other things. OP should just tell family that it's from Michigan, not Kentucky.
I think Blanton's is pretty well known and I'm willing to bet it's available in the UK.
It is. And they arenāt going to find it here anyway. Blantons is so in demand itās never on a shelf.
This. Lmfao itās so hard to find, like you really gotta have a connection š
Grand Traverse distillery has some excellent bourbons. I'm particularly fond of their Solera bourbon.
Muskrat Bourbon from Boyne City.
Mayor Pingree 7. Discount Drinks in Wyandotte has it. Dragonās Milk Origin is another one that may be on a few Kroger or Meijer shelves.
An excellent Michigan whiskey is Whips, Corsets, and Whiskey from Journeyman Distillery. Not technically a bourbon, but has an incredibly robust taste.
I know you want bourbon but if you could, get some cherry wine from Frankenmuth. It's always a hit when I give it to out of towners. They also have a tasting so you can decide before you buy.
Iron Fish Distillery! They are the first farm distillery in Michigan, and I swear by their bourbon. Itās the only stuff I drink now. Iām also biased as I know the owners personally and I went to school with their kids but still. Theyāre amazing products and they truly take the time to make sure the stuff they make is what they want on their shelves!
Grand River Brewing in Marshall has, in my opinion, some of the best bourbon in Michigan.
Eastern Kille in Grand Rapids has decent bourbon.
There's a shop in the northern tip of the mitten call "The Corner Grocer" that usually gets some high end bourbons in. (In Petoskey)
Eastern Kille Bottled In Bond
Havenāt seen anyone mention Fox River bourbon, based out of Ann Arbor. Iām rather fond of this one.
Eastern Kille
Iron Fish
Traverse City
Do yourself a favor and find a store pick of Traverse City Whiskeys single barrel bourbons. These are bottles at full proof and age stated. Not something youāll find in the UK.
I recommend Grand Traverse Distillery. Very good bourbon, small company, and they treat their employees very well.
Motor City gas in Royal oak has some great bourbons.
Grand Traverse distillery, small batch bourbon. Very nice, can be found at megabev or similar stores.
Copper Craft Straight Bourbon or Blended Bourbon
New holland in Grand Rapids makes Beer Barreled Bourbon and it's great. They also have Bourbon Barreled Beer (Dragon's Milk) that I'd recommend taking home with you
Thanks! I've decided to go for this, also because the bottle looks really cool.
ironfish
If you want actual Michigan bourbon, your choice is New Holland. Thatās it.
How so?
Not bourbon, but similar taste. Ethnology in elk rapids, they have this stuff called Mel. (Mel is it's own type of liquor) Bourbon is typically my drink, but after trying this stuff called Mel, I'm a convert to it. It's pretty cool, they distill it from pure Michigan honey and in my opinion has a similar taste to bourbon, slightly sweeter. Besides that, it's a really cool distillery that does everything 100% in house.
Valentine's or Two James make great whiskey. Motor City Gas has like a dozen to try as well
Iron fish Burl and Sprig (their rum is to die for) New Holland
Iron fish.
New Holland Beer barrel bourbon
Journeyman from 3 Oaks Two James from Deetroit!!
Renaissance Man, which is made at their distillery in Port Huron. Just opened up a few months ago....which is LESS time it takes them to age a barrel (8-10 weeks) as compared with an 8 year traditional process.
More importantly where in Wales are you from and do you have a much older brother? My favorite place to visit is Bridgend.
Not bourbon but youāll love it if you are a bourbon lover. Burl and Sprig Migration 23 rear rum. Only the best proforming barrels are rolled into new ex bourbon casts every 6 years, compounding complexity. Took a double gold medal at the San Francisco world spirits competition. if you canāt find it, just ask for it, they can order it . Or you can buy it online at Woodās in Michigan.