Thursday I made my way down to Valley Wine and Liquors in Herkimer, NY for a tasting with Cooperstown Distillery. I went to Cooperstown Distillery some years ago with my late, dearly missed husband Steve, and knew they had good stuff. And of course I am always up for checking out a local or area business. I was very glad I went.
He was great.
The pourer was a nice young man named MacGuire Benton. I told him having a last name for a first name was sexy. I thought I could get away with a remark like that at my age. At least he didn’t seem to mind. By that time I had sampled all his wares and we had established something of a rapport. He gave me lots of good information about the distillery, and encouraged me to return for another visit.
“They’ll take good care of you,” he said.
He said they get their grains locally from Crowe family farm in Canajoharie. More local! Spent grains are placed in an underground tank, and farmer’s take them for their cattle. MacGuire said it was circle of life when he eventually ate a steak from a cow that ate some of their grains. I speculated that whiskey grains made the cows happy, but I suppose that is just a bit of fantasy on my part.
I tasted a blended whisky, a rye (making reference to “good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye”), bourbon, and some single malt. I like them all! I am not much of a booze hound these days, being more of a winer (and and regular readers know, something of a whiner), but I got a bottle of the blended whiskey. It will make for some good hot toddies if I get hit with a cold. Or if I just feel like having a hot toddy. Maybe a shot in a cup of coffee. Or just on the rocks. Oh dear, maybe I will become a booze hound after all! Don’t worry: I won’t drink and drive!
I may, however, take a drive to Cooperstown Distillery (preview of coming attractions). There are a few other things in Cooperstown I could check out.
Mohawk Valley Girl 