In the early 1800’s, New York produced more than half the young nation’s Barley and Rye and the Hudson Valley was the country’s breadbasket. With abundant high quality grain, local craft spirits flourished and over 1000 farm distilleries produced Whiskey and Gin reflecting the unique terroir of the region. In the 1930’s, Prohibition forced these distilleries to shut their doors and this wellspring of American spirits was left dry.
Hillrock Estate Distillery is changing this. Our mission is to produce the finest hand-crafted spirits made with our own grain, floor malted, craft distilled in our copper pot still, aged in fine oak and hand bottled at our estate in the Hudson Valley Highlands. Crowned by a fine 1806 Georgian house built by a successful grain merchant and Revolutionary War Captain and meticulously restored to its original beauty, Hillrock Distillery overlooks our rolling barley fields and the distant Berkshire Mountains. Like our premier spirits, every detail refined, no expense spared, quality steeped in the tradition of 200 years of rich history.
Hillrock is proud to be one of the few “field-to-glass” whiskey producers in the world and the first USA distillery since before Prohibition to floor malt and hand craft whiskey on site from estate grown grain. Hillrock’s commitment to quality embodies the rich history of artisanal distilling in the Hudson Valley. By controlling every aspect of production from planting & harvesting heirloom grains, to smoking our malt, to crafting whiskies in our copper pot still, to aging in small oak barrels and hand bottling, we are able to create the highest quality whiskies reflecting the unique local terroir.
Floor malted, small batch distilled, and aged in charred American Oak, ex-Bourbon and Sherry Casks, this outstanding whiskey is made from Estate grown barley that is traditionally floor-malted & smoked in our on-site Malthouse with imported peat from Scotland for approximately 16 hours prior to distillation, creating a uniquely delicate and complex whiskey. Notes of crème brûlée and shortbread with caramelized orange and heather on the nose open to a balanced and smooth palate faint with citrus notes, but rounded with toffee, dried fruit, cinnamon and clove. The very long and slightly dry finish has a delicate, smokiness which lingers in this bright, honey amber whiskey.
THE ART OF FINE CRAFT DISTILLING HAS MADE THE JOURNEY HOME…