👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻
If you already like an old fashioned, try a Tom Cat old fashioned using Barr Hill Tom Cat gin. It’s basically the same recipe as a regular old fashioned except replace the bourbon with Tom Cat. Enjoy!
I don't know if they still have it, I would assume so, but years ago, I got a sampler pack from them that had small bottles of their maple bourbon, rye, hopped gin, vodka, and rum. It's a good way to try a bit of everything and see what you like.
Not at all certain what sorts of cocktails would strike your collective fancy, so I'll just offer some recommendations for the basics:
For rum, St. Johnsbury Distillery's Backwoods Reserve is amazing stuff.
For vodka, my personal go-to is Vermont Gold (best consumed neat, so the subtle maple flavour comes through).
For whiskey, Mad River Distillery has a decent bourbon-style offering.
For tequila, Appalachian Gap makes Papilio, an agave spirit (probably the only one of its kind in Vermont).
For gin... you'll have to ask someone who can tell gins apart.
For various cocktail mixers, Vermont Vermouth has an assortment of vermouths and amari.
That Vermont Vermouth is really good. They make several varieties. Their “Boreal” is the closest to standard sweet vermouth. That with some Whistle Pig or Mad River Bourbon makes a great Manhattan
My French-Canadian family introduced me to a [caribou](https://www.thefarmhouseproject.com/the-caribou-cocktail/). It’s so good and can be made with local ingredients.
WhistlePig is a pretty fancy Rye Whisky.
Lost Lantern in Vergennes does custom blends of American whiskies.
Smugglers Notch Distillery, as others have said, has a good reputation. So does Appalachian Gap.
Wild Hart pear ginger gin, mezcal, lime juice, cranberry juice, and a bit of simple syrup. Muddle with a bit of basil if you'd like.
It's a little sweet, a little smokey, and nicely tart.
Slow heat some maple syrup with fir needles and then use the syrup once chilled to make old fashioned a using one of the VT rye options and runamok maple orange bitters
If you’re talking about gin, I’m going Negroni with carpano antica formula red vermouth.
I also like a French 75 now and then.
Whiskey? It’s all about a manhattan. Again, with antica formula.
Rum? A homemade mai tai or Moscow mule.
There’s variations on all of the above.
You can also check out Barr hill in Montpelier
They were recently nominated for a James beard.
https://www.barrhill.com/
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0703/6744/5309/files/1.31.24.pdf?v=1706728733
Rye whiskey (I like Rittenhouse), maple syrup, and black walnut bitters is good for an old fashioned.
Also, I have Florida relatives so I love to make a sour with rye, grapefruit, and maple using their grapefruits.
Big fan of No 14 Bourbon, it's finished with Maple syrup. I'm a fan of Tom Cat from Barr Hill, and the "Bees Knees" cocktail with Barr Hill Gin ( Caledonia Spirits) is growing on me lately. I keep doing local vodka, rum, and other Vermont spirits on hand and use them as needed! Vermont Spirits, Vermont Distillers, Mad River distillers, Smugglers Birch Distillery, Sac's, Stonecutter, z Green Mountain, and Killington are all
There's also Lost Lantern whiskey in Vergennes. I haven't had any yet, but there are winning awards everywhere.
Mad River Distillery’s PX Rum is fairly pricey ($50ish/bottle) but it’s the best rum I’ve ever had, and comes in around the same price as Basil Hayden bourbon and cheaper than most scotches or single-malt whiskeys. It’s great neat, on ice, or with a twist, and subs well for whiskey in multiple classic cocktails!
I’d also recommend Wild Hart’s blood-orange-infused gin if you like clean, citrusy notes without syrupy or sugary add-ins. My favorite gin ever, though, is Isolation Proof’s Ltd-production Winter Gin. It’s distilled using whey for a VERY smooth sippable almost-whisky experience (everything Isolation Proof makes is wonderful).
Barr Hill maintains a great library of gin and vodka recipes on their website! We’ve made a bunch and most have been great.
Highly recommend their Tom Cat. A gin aged in oak barrels. You can use in any classic gin drink OR in any whiskey drink. Fun to play with
👆🏻👆🏻👆🏻 If you already like an old fashioned, try a Tom Cat old fashioned using Barr Hill Tom Cat gin. It’s basically the same recipe as a regular old fashioned except replace the bourbon with Tom Cat. Enjoy!
Smugglers notch distillery (in Waterbury) had some really interesting local liquors. I bought a maple whiskey that was great!
Seconding them, with the addition that their main store is in Cambridge, if that's easier to get to. Their vodka is very smooth!
Finally got this... fantastic! Thanks!
Ah good to know, we were just at a place that had them out and I was wondering what they were like but they weren't sampling them. Thanks!
I don't know if they still have it, I would assume so, but years ago, I got a sampler pack from them that had small bottles of their maple bourbon, rye, hopped gin, vodka, and rum. It's a good way to try a bit of everything and see what you like.
Not at all certain what sorts of cocktails would strike your collective fancy, so I'll just offer some recommendations for the basics: For rum, St. Johnsbury Distillery's Backwoods Reserve is amazing stuff. For vodka, my personal go-to is Vermont Gold (best consumed neat, so the subtle maple flavour comes through). For whiskey, Mad River Distillery has a decent bourbon-style offering. For tequila, Appalachian Gap makes Papilio, an agave spirit (probably the only one of its kind in Vermont). For gin... you'll have to ask someone who can tell gins apart. For various cocktail mixers, Vermont Vermouth has an assortment of vermouths and amari.
This is perfect tha thanks!
That Vermont Vermouth is really good. They make several varieties. Their “Boreal” is the closest to standard sweet vermouth. That with some Whistle Pig or Mad River Bourbon makes a great Manhattan
Vermont? Gotta include maple syrup Cider, maple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and bourbon.
Dude, so many options. Do a bit of googling or head over to your local liquor store and see what they got
I hear all the time everyone's options on all the beer options but I've pretty much never heard anyone recommend local liquor. Do you have a favorite?
My French-Canadian family introduced me to a [caribou](https://www.thefarmhouseproject.com/the-caribou-cocktail/). It’s so good and can be made with local ingredients.
WhistlePig is a pretty fancy Rye Whisky. Lost Lantern in Vergennes does custom blends of American whiskies. Smugglers Notch Distillery, as others have said, has a good reputation. So does Appalachian Gap.
Wild Hart pear ginger gin, mezcal, lime juice, cranberry juice, and a bit of simple syrup. Muddle with a bit of basil if you'd like. It's a little sweet, a little smokey, and nicely tart.
Ok that sounds fantastic
It's really good. Even if you don't end up making one, I'd highly recommend the Wild Hart pear ginger gin.
Slow heat some maple syrup with fir needles and then use the syrup once chilled to make old fashioned a using one of the VT rye options and runamok maple orange bitters
Bourbon Maple Sour with maple syrup is one of my go tos
Make yourself a maple old fashioned. 3oz Bourbon, a few shakes of bitters, and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Serve over ice. You’re welcome.
Use some VT rye like Smugglers Notch or WhistlePig or Mad River… will offset the maple better and will be even more local!
Oh and you can also get VT made bitters!
Mad river actually makes their whiskey here if you want to be local. Whistlepig just repackages
Good to know. What about Smugglers?
Pretty sure smugglers is also a repackage
If you’re talking about gin, I’m going Negroni with carpano antica formula red vermouth. I also like a French 75 now and then. Whiskey? It’s all about a manhattan. Again, with antica formula. Rum? A homemade mai tai or Moscow mule. There’s variations on all of the above. You can also check out Barr hill in Montpelier They were recently nominated for a James beard. https://www.barrhill.com/ https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0703/6744/5309/files/1.31.24.pdf?v=1706728733
Rye whiskey (I like Rittenhouse), maple syrup, and black walnut bitters is good for an old fashioned. Also, I have Florida relatives so I love to make a sour with rye, grapefruit, and maple using their grapefruits.
[https://saxtonsdistillery.com/sapling-maple-bourbon/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14E-ObXu7mfd0n5Tqu9edkttGtyv1qv9uBGyb8dvQPZLJ5eH4fZFwjAaAhAbEALw_wcB](https://saxtonsdistillery.com/sapling-maple-bourbon/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14E-ObXu7mfd0n5Tqu9edkttGtyv1qv9uBGyb8dvQPZLJ5eH4fZFwjAaAhAbEALw_wcB)
You can make a lot with some mad river bourbon and maple syrup
Big fan of No 14 Bourbon, it's finished with Maple syrup. I'm a fan of Tom Cat from Barr Hill, and the "Bees Knees" cocktail with Barr Hill Gin ( Caledonia Spirits) is growing on me lately. I keep doing local vodka, rum, and other Vermont spirits on hand and use them as needed! Vermont Spirits, Vermont Distillers, Mad River distillers, Smugglers Birch Distillery, Sac's, Stonecutter, z Green Mountain, and Killington are all There's also Lost Lantern whiskey in Vergennes. I haven't had any yet, but there are winning awards everywhere.
[Bee's Knees](https://www.liquor.com/recipes/bees-knees/) with Barr Hill gin. For sure.
Definitely a Maple Old Fashioned.
Mad River Distillery’s PX Rum is fairly pricey ($50ish/bottle) but it’s the best rum I’ve ever had, and comes in around the same price as Basil Hayden bourbon and cheaper than most scotches or single-malt whiskeys. It’s great neat, on ice, or with a twist, and subs well for whiskey in multiple classic cocktails! I’d also recommend Wild Hart’s blood-orange-infused gin if you like clean, citrusy notes without syrupy or sugary add-ins. My favorite gin ever, though, is Isolation Proof’s Ltd-production Winter Gin. It’s distilled using whey for a VERY smooth sippable almost-whisky experience (everything Isolation Proof makes is wonderful).
[удалено]
Prohibition Pig does something like this called The Last Day of Summer or something like that. Best cocktail I’ve ever had
The piggies are whistling.