Finger Lakes Distilling

While at the Wine bloggers conference held this year in Corning New York just a few short miles from the Finger Lakes AVA I had the chance to visit a few distilleries. Brian McKenzie owner of Finger Lakes Distilling facing Seneca Lake shared his spirits with me during my visit on August 13th. I have always been a fan of Brian and Thomas’s work and it was such fun to visit.

What I tasted on August 13th 2015
1. Vintners Vodka- This is super clean with a hint of honey smooth and definitely a sipping vodka.
2. Apple Brandy- Savory pine, stone fruit and baked apple pie with spice. Combo of 2 and 4 years pot still brandies.
3. Seneca Drums Gin- Herbaceous, lavender, dill, cucumber and smoked juniper. This is a clean and soft gin.
4. Wheat Whiskey- this and great example of a wheat whiskey and how good they can be. Creamy and grainy with honey suckle and baked pear.
5. Bourbon- spicy, lead pencil, toasted oak, caramel and nutty.
6. Catskill Provision NY Honey Liqueur- not cloyingly sweet, fresh fruit and honey dipped stone fruit.
7. Cherry Liqueur- very balanced with notes of cherry candy it’s clean and taste like natural cherry not extract.
8. Riesling Grappa- Clean and crisp, very little spice and notes of licorice and tropical fruit.
9. Grape Brandy- soft baked fruit with notes of caramel apple and nougat
10. Cassis- noted of baked blackberry, decent structure
11. Raspberry- awesome clean finish with fruit forward notes.
12. Maple Jack- Butterscotch, maple candy this is very well balanced and nicely done.