Albany Distilling Co.

This visit was slightly different than our normal outings, inasmuch as food wasn't really involved and there was a cat.

We visited the Albany Distilling Co., which bills itself the first legal distillery in Albany since the prohibition era. Currently, they offer 3 types of whiskey and a rum batch.  We were informed that the next batch of rum was being aged in whiskey barrels, which sounds delicious so keep an eye out for that some time this January.

The Albany Distilling Co. is a small business that opened not too long ago in 2011.  It's located next to The Albany Pump Station, perfect for grabbing a beer while waiting for a tour. There were only 3 people there when we dropped by, and as far as I gathered that was the entire staff.  The equipment and ingredients, however, were top notch and the distiller knew his field.  Our entire tour took place in a single room, as well as the sampling, where we were shown the ingredients going into the mash (all of the whiskey grains were grown within New York State), different batches in stages of fermentation or aging, and took a couple shots of the finished products.

We also met Cooper the cat, who was a very handsome little man that took care of any mice or rat issues in the building.  If you were ever wondering, that's why breweries and distilleries almost always have at least one cat:  mash and wort ingredients tend to be things that rodents love, so besides boosting employee morale, the cats serve a vital function in protecting the base ingredients.  Cooper also happens to be super cuddly and loves belly scratches.

Honestly I prefer rum to whiskey, but I have to admit I enjoyed the bourbon and rye offerings (rum samples weren't available due to a state licensing issue.  The whole time we were there, the bottle sat on the shelf mocking us).  The bourbon was slightly sweet and rich when it first hit the tongue before settling into a smooth burn.  The rye carried a peppery burn but a complex one.  I still don't love whiskey, but I do love interesting flavors and these certainly delivered.  They are sold under the Ironweed label if you're interested. We picked up a bottle of Ironweed for ourselves and gifted one as a Christmas present paired with a souvenir glass and its namesake, a novel locally authored by William Kennedy. What's more unique than presents both made in Albany? 

They also offer a New Make whiskey, aged only long enough to call it whiskey (30 minutes) without picking up any flavor.  It carries a very grassy flavor, surprisingly tasty and gives a great idea of what the barrels impart to the finished product.  

All in all the Albany Distillling Co. is absolutely worth a visit if you're interested in liquor or even just enjoy the show Moonshiners (which is why we went).  Drop by, pet the cat, even if you don't buy anything you'll at least learn something.