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| THE YOUNG GUNS ON THE WHISKEY TRAIL |  |
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BY CHRIS POH "Two hundred gallons of Whiskey will be ready this day for your call, and the sooner it is taken the better, as the demand for this article (in these parts) is brisk." |
| Even a
cursory read of history might lead one to the conclusion that the road
to America’s revolution was partially paved with the production of
colonial potables. The records indicate that Royal governors enticed
the farmers and frontiersmen with the promise of free spirits if they
would agree to drill and form militias. The watchword of the day may
have been, “Keep your powder dry and your whistle wet.” It was the hope
of the English Crown that an army of adept citizen soldiers would
lessen the burden and expense of having a large force of British
regulars providing for the security of North America. What the
government had failed to realize was that they had unwittingly
sharpened the same sword that would eventually sever their grip on the
American colonies. Life, liberty and the pursuit of reasonably priced libations helped to spur on the minutemen at Lexington and Concord. The Sugar Act of 1769, which taxed molasses imported from the West Indies, along with the destruction and blockades of New England Ports by the British Navy hastened the demise of the once prosperous rum industry. In response colonial distillers turned to the use of native crops, such as corn and rye, as the chief source of fermentable products. This homegrown approach appealed to an aspiring nation’s patriotic zeal, and the common cause of every Continental soldier was bolstered and fortified by a ration of 4 ounces of whiskey per day. In 1794, eleven years after the formal cessation of hostilities between Great Britain and America, the interesting relationship between the flintlock and the copper pot was put to the test once more. Federal troops, under the personal command of then President George Washington, who himself would become one of the most prolific distillers in the country, ventured into western Pennsylvania to suppress the insurrection against the congressional tax on alcohol. While it is probably more a matter of myth than fact, there are some historians that claim the “Whiskey Rebellion” led to the establishment of the southern distilling tradition. The rationale was that producers in the southern states and frontier territories could more easily evade Federal authority, and thus avoid paying the unpopular tax which was eventually repealed in 1803. No matter what the facts may bear, the vast majority of stops along “America’s Whiskey Trail” are all below the Mason-Dixon Line. Perhaps with the emergence of the new micro-distillery movement that will all change. My first recommendation for a fresh place to tipple on the tour would definitely be FINGER LAKES DISTILLING. |
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 THE DISTILLERY CERTAINLY ADDS TO THE EXQUISITE CHARM OF THE FINGER LAKES REGION |
Located
in
the heart of New York State’s celebrated wine region, the
distillery sits atop a vine covered slope overlooking the sublime
eastern shore of Seneca Lake. Here Brian and Thomas Earl McKenzie are
redefining the distiller’s craft. Though springing from two entirely
different family trees, both men are commonly rooted in the belief and
practice of making truly remarkable spirits. The recently released
McKenzie Rye is an outstanding example of this dedication to the
production of classic American Whiskies.
It was a cloudy fall afternoon when my wife and I arrived at the distillery; we both were looking forward to a sip of anything that might effectively combat the chill of early November. I already had the pleasure of a pre-release sample of the rye via an encounter in Philadelphia with Lew Bryson, the managing editor of the Malt Advocate. I was hoping to meet the creators of this unique spirit, but unfortunately both McKenzies were attending a gathering of industry aficionados in New York City. My meanderings through the myriad of medicinal offerings would be entrusted to one Meryl Bursic; someone who I initially thought was too young to have acquired a working knowledge of quality drink. That misconception was put to rest rather quickly. During the next two hours her energy, enthusiasm and expertise guided us through a tasting and tutelage of gin, vodka, brandy, grappa, and the distinctive Glen Thunder corn whiskey – thanks to Miss Bursic, November’s chill had been conquered. Meryl’s youthful exuberance is by no means a fluke at this operation; Brian and Thomas Earl McKenzie have just barely cleared thirty. This infusion of creative young talent bodes well for the future of the micro-distilling industry. And at a time when so many Americans question our ability to produce quality products from within our own shores, we can take great pride in knowing that in the Finger Lakes the art of making craft spirits is in exceedingly good hands! |
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