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THE SPIRITS OF IDAHO
PHOTO BY KAREN DAY
Celebrate Idaho Spirits Month in July with Local Distillers of Excellence
By April Neale
With July as Idaho Spirits Month, the spotlight shines on the Gem State’s rich history of spirits. Our distilleries produce award-winning spirits in nearly every category, all made for sipping, cocktail creating, and even great food pairings at some of Idaho’s most inviting bars and restaurants.
...it’s about getting the word out that Idaho has fabulous craft distilleries, and getting people to take a second look at us on the shelf…
The Idaho State Liquor Division has nothing but good news in their latest annual report: business is booming, and the revenue divided up between cities, schools, and other benefactors is swelling too. is stout economic impact of Idaho’s distilled spirits revenue generated pleases Governor Brad Little, who told the ISLD: “Cities, counties, community colleges, substance abuse treatment programs, and the state in general bene t from the responsible stewardship at the Idaho State Liquor Division.”
Some local heroes making the good pours include “farm-to-flask” champs Up North Distillery in Post Falls, co-owned by Hilary Mann. “In Idaho we have few craft distilleries, it’s about getting the word out that Idaho has fabulous craft distilleries, and getting people to take a second look at us on the shelf instead of the big boys, so check us out,” she said. Past awards for them include the 2017 Denver International Spirits Competition netting three Gold Medals—Honey Spirits, Barrel Finished Honey Spirits, and Apple Brandy with even more awards in 2018 and 2019, and 2020. The National Honey Board Spirits gold award for Barrel Finished Honey Spirits, then Sip Northwest Double Gold awards went to their Cask Strength Honey Spirits and Apple Brandy. The Pr%f Awards Double Gold went to their Cask Strength Honey Spirits and 50 Best Honey Spirits Competition Gold was bestowed to their Barrel Reserve Honey Spirits and Barrel Finished Honey Spirits.
Bardenay—made in Boise, Eagle, and Coeur d’Alene—is the first post-Prohibition restaurant distillery in the USA. Their Idaho distillery restaurants shine with incredible new offerings and a Boise airport location coming soon, as the production manager Josh Malone was sold on the July Spirits Month event and looked forward to it. “Spirits Month is still relatively new, but I think Bardenay has been excited about what happens during Idaho Spirits Month,” he said. “One of our previous distillery managers helped spearhead the designation, made official in 2017 by then-Governor Butch Otter through the Idaho Distillers Association. We’re excited about the camaraderie, connecting with the other distilleries. We respect all the other distilleries in Idaho.”
Idaho’s distilleries make hay with our agricultural bounty, especially our ubiquitous potato. This ingredient is a point of pride and a fact not lost on Idaho’s 44° North Vodka Distillery, where VP of Business Development and Client Relations Jaclyn Padgett has spent the last ten years steering the brand to top-shelf status, citing the potato connection and use of local and Pacific Northwest ingredients to create vibrant flavors. 44° North Vodka uses Rocky Mountain spring water for all distilling. The company creates Idaho Potato Vodka from Burbank and Russet potatoes supplied by Distilled Resources. They also make delectable fruit-flavored vodkas made with Idaho mountain huckleberries, Rainier cherries, and Sunnyslope nectarines and is now adding Hagerman watermelons to the lineup.
As with any official month of celebration, a great event must follow. “This year will be officially number four for our SIP Idaho event at the Riverside Hotel for Idaho Spirits Month,” said North Star Spirits Idaho co-founder and SIP Idaho creator Rachelle Kelch. She brokers with spirits from all over, but her heart belongs in Idaho. “I’m particularly partial to Grand Teton Distillery in Driggs, Idaho,” she said. “I love their Huckleberry vodka made in Idaho.”
