Tour the farm and distillery making rye whiskey in Vermont
Until recently, rye whiskey has endured a long, sleepy spell as one of America’s most obscure spirits, despite its storied past as a category favored (and distilled) by George Washington in the midst of a tenured pre-Prohibition heyday. The implementation of the country’s dark, dry period marked the beginning of the end of bourbon’s rye-based counterpart as America knew it — and now, nearly a century later, a resurgence is underway thanks to brands like WhistlePig, wholly dedicated to the cause.
In 2007, American-born Indian-Irish entrepreneur Raj Bhakta purchased a 200-year-old farm in Shoreham, Vt. with the intent to morph the property into a launchpad for a whiskey brand. Shortly thereafter, he joined forces with former Maker’s Mark master distiller Dave Pickerell, and together the duo amassed a stock of the world’s finest rye whiskey, which they bottled at the farm and introduced to the market as an opening act designed to ultimately usher in their magnum opus: the brand’s own homegrown product, WhistlePig Rye.
Today, WhistlePig Farm spans 500 acres; among its most prominent features are an impeccably maintained distillery, tasting room and event space in a 150-year-old dairy barn, and just across a dirt road, a bucolic farmhouse overlooks fields of rye and Vermont oak trees lining the hills above. Visitors passing through for a tour and a tasting are immersed in the brand’s culture and voracity.
“WhistlePig is all about cultivating the finest whiskey in the world from our farm and woodlands," says Bhakta. "It’s also about family and hard work. And fun. People don’t have enough fun nowadays. The ‘first crop’ of FarmStock is a historic event in the world of whiskey. We believe this first expression of our triple terroir — our grain, our wood, our water — is a true piece of art to be enjoyed or collected. It is, simply speaking, spectacular. A veritable fireworks display with the power and boldness of rye combined with the grace, depth and elegance only old whiskey stocks can deliver.”
It’s a true labor of love for Bhakta, realized and perfected by Pickerell alongside the rest of their skilled and passionate team. Browse the photo gallery above for a peek at the property.
WhistlePig Farm’s Tasting Room (offsite at Danforth Pewter in Middlebury, Vt.) is open to the public on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and guests can call ahead to request a tour of the property, 802-897-7700.
Plus, see more farm-to-bottle distilleries below.