DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION BY DIANA RAMIREZ
palate v pour
THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA
Small-batch distilleries are producing quality spirits with locally grown ingredients. BY MARK SPIVAK
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PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
The locavore movement, which places emphasis on consuming locally grown food and ingredients, has spilled over into the world of spirits. Currently, there are slightly more than 200 craft distillers in the United States, and some of them have been around for decades. In 1981, Ansley Coale met displaced Cognac master Hubert Germain-Robin; the next year, Robin found an antique still and shipped it to Coale’s ranch, thus the beginning of Ukiah, California’s Germain-Robin. They pioneered the concept of making brandy from high-quality wine, and were the first to distill their product from Pinot Noir (as opposed to the standard Colombard or Ugni Blanc). Their Fine Alambic Brandy ($45) was called “the best on the planet” by one reviewer, and their Select
Barrel XO ($100) beat out the $1,500 Richard Hennessy in a blind tasting. There are more and more distilleries producing organic vodka in the United States: TRU, Shadow and Square One (California), Prairie and Crop (Minnesota), Liquid Ice (Idaho), CapRock (Colorado) and Ocean (Hawaii), to name a few. Their fresh, pure taste has caught the attention of consumers, and many of them are entering mainstream distribution around the country. While they may not qualify as micro-distilleries, they are miniscule in size compared with Smirnoff and Absolut. Connoisseurs are becoming familiar with Philadelphia Distilling, which turns out a trio of handcrafted spirits from local ingredients. Their Penn 1681 Rye Vodka ($20) is made from grain grown in