What Makes a Premium Whiskey Distillery? Six Signs of Quality to Look For
American whiskey is having a remarkable run. There are now well over two thousand craft distilleries across the country, and shelves are crowded with bottles that use words like “small batch,” “handcrafted,” and “premium.” Some of those labels mean a great deal. Others mean almost nothing. If you want to know which producers are genuinely doing things the hard way, a few clear signs can help. 1. They Make Their Own Spirit From Grain This is the single biggest dividing line in craft whiskey. Many brands buy whiskey in bulk from large industrial producers and simply bottle it under their own name. There is nothing illegal about that, but it means the brand had no say in the grain, fermentation, or distillation. The most respected premium whiskey distillers in the USA control the whole process, often called “grain to glass.” They mill their own grain, cook their own mash, ferment with their own yeast, and run their own stills. When you visit, you should be able to see the equipment at wo...