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.
After aging in Hillrock's Solera and Oloroso Sherry casks, this unique American whiskey is then finished in fine Shea Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir wine casks. The multi-barrel aging of this copper/amber whiskey with slight chestnut hues offers a nose full of bright red fruit (ripe cherries, blackberry and plums) and sweet desserts (taffy, crème brûlée, creamy caramel and candied almonds). Warm vanilla and cherries, with sweet notes of toffee and French oak complimented by a bouquet of floral and fruity notes – complete the palate before leading to lingering rye spice, dried plums, allspice, nutmeg and vanilla flavors.
THE ART OF FINE CRAFT DISTILLING HAS MADE THE JOURNEY HOME…