802 Spirits April 2023

HOT PICKS

Killington Distillery Maple Cask Bourbon

On the Rocks Margarita

On the Rocks Margarita is a ready-to-drink cocktail that does away with artificial flavors and uses 100% pure agave Hornitos Plata Tequila as its base. This lets the agaveforward premium spirit shine through the tartness of the lime and bittersweetness of the triple sec.

062814 • 750ML • $24.99

Carolans Peanut Butter

Carolans takes its name from the legendary 17th-century harpist, Turlough O’Carolan. Its unique taste has allowed it to become one of the largest Irish cream brands in the world. The superior taste of Carolans Peanut Butter starts with premium ingredients, using only the finest Irish whiskey, farm-fresh cream and natural honey. The result? A rich, velvety liqueur best enjoyed over ice, with coffee or mixed into a delicious cocktail.

068149 • 750ML • $18.99

A robust bourbon that captures the essence of Vermont, Killington Distillery Maple Cask Bourbon is aged with 100% locally sourced maple syrup and bottled at 90 proof. The notes of maple, vanilla and oak make it complex enough to drink neat or as an addition to your favorite cocktail.

900660 • 750ML • $45.99

Uncle Nearest 1856

Uncle Nearest 1856 is an award-winning blend, bottled at 100 proof. It is astonishingly smooth, and can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in your favorite whiskey or bourbon cocktail. This legacy-era bottling contains whiskey from the distiller’s own barrels.

026966 • 750ML • $62.99

Barcardi RTS Rum Punch

This ready-to-serve premium rum cocktail features BACARDÍ Superior Rum with pineapple, mango and passionfruit juice. It offers classic tropical taste and aromas that will send your taste buds on vacation.

057182 • 1.75ML • $17.99

Vermont in a

PHOTOS BY DAVID SEAVER

Bottle

Vermont Spirits Distilling Co Brands Capture the Essence of the Green Mountain State

BY ROBERT COOK

When asked how he views Vermont Spirits Distilling Co’s flagship brands: No 14 Bourbon, Vermont Gold Vodka and Coppers Gins, Randy Carlson doesn’t hold back.

“I think they are among the best on the planet,” said Carlson, who serves as the distillery’s CEO.

Many other Vermont craft distillers probably make the same claim about their spirits, as they should. But when one visits Vermont Spirits Distilling Co in Quechee Gorge Village and sees how they make their spirits, Carlson’s pride is in lockstep with the quality and craftsmanship that goes into every bottle.

Carlson is also part of a dream team of distillers who produce these signature spirits with the same hand-crafted process that was used when the company began in 1999.

Master Distiller Harry Gorman and Don Kolp, whose official title is apprentice distiller but does much more, help Carlson fulfill the craft distillery’s core mission: make Vermont in a bottle.

“We believe every sip should be an experience,” Carlson says.

Named in honor of Vermont, the 14th state, No 14 Bourbon unites two American Classics: bourbon whiskey and pure Vermont maple. The strength of the bourbon is softened by a hint of sweetness, which broadens its appeal to a variety of palates. The result is a surprisingly smooth spirit with a warm and lasting finish. On its own or in a cocktail, No 14 Bourbon is a wonderfully smooth and distinctly American spirit. Kolp says they get most of their maple from the Richardson Family Farm, their friends and neighbors just up the road from the distillery.

The award-winning, small-batch Vermont Gold Vodka is handmade from nature’s most eco-friendly ingredient: the sap of maple trees. Maple trees need only rain, soil and temperature changes for sap to flow — the tree is tapped and the sap captured. The sap is then concentrated and skillfully fermented to preserve the unique characteristics of its sugars. The maple wash is distilled in their one-of-a-kind glass column still and blended with pure Vermont distilled water to produce an exceptionally clean, 80 proof American Vodka.

Coppers Gin, which takes its name from the currency used by the former Vermont Republic before it joined the union in 1791, is unique, yet recognizable, with curated blends of hand-picked wild Vermont juniper berries from the St. Johnsbury area in the Northeast Kingdom where the company was first established.

Coppers American Gin, with its seven botanicals and light body, is a contemporary gin for the sophisticated drinker. Coppers Barrel Gin is double barrel-aged to create a whiskey-like spirit with rich woody flavors delighting even the non-gin drinker. Coppers Sugarwood Gin, with its pure maple finish, is gin with a Vermont twist.

“A true artisan sets out to make something beautiful and that’s how we make Vermont in a bottle,” says Carlson.

The distillery also offers custom blends and small-batch liqueurs

From left: Apprentice Distiller and culinary expert, Don Kolp; Master Distiller and local renaissance man, Harry Gorman; beverage industry veteran and CEO, Randy Carlson.

and brandy for their patrons to enjoy. For example, the 1791 Cocktail is a twist on a Boulevardier cocktail that features Massachusetts cranberries, Vermont honey, American Rye whiskey and Orleans Herbal Cider.

Vermont Spirits Distilling Co places a strong emphasis on utilizing as many natural resources as they can along with a commitment to community stewardship and sustainability.

Carlson explains the company powers a great deal of its operation with hydro power generated by Green Mountain Power’s hydro dam on the Ottaquechee River at the base of Quechee Gorge and via solar power. One of their goals is to make their operation completely green by putting enough solar panels on their building to not only provide their power needs but also the neighboring businesses in the plaza.

The Meeting House located in the front of the distillery provides daily tastings, and Gorman used antique barn boards from near the original distillery to build the Meeting House bar and walls to maintain a link to their roots.

Inside the distillery, the dream team and other members of their staff regularly pitch in to hand-bottle each spirit when it is ready. The company also uses the specially designed glass column stills that were originally created by founder Duncan Holaday inside his sugar house in Barnet near St. Johnsbury

Mountain State distillery.

Gorman recalls that a fire destroyed the original distillery in 2004 and that he helped rebuild it. A short time later, the company nearly went national with its prized product when a group of investors paired it up with Anheuser Busch. Before that happened, however, Anheuser Busch was bought out by AB InBev, which was not interested in spirits, just beer.

A new group of investors surfaced and decided to move the company to its present location in Quechee Gorge Village in 2011. The distillery building and equipment was moved from Barnet via tractor-trailer. The company is now governed by a board of directors which reports to its shareholders.

Gorman describes a painstaking process at the original distillery of spending five weeks in the woods each year to tap the trees, collect the maple sap, clean the hundreds of feet of maple sap lines and equipment. The result was an average of 500 cases of Vermont Gold Vodka per year at a rate of 11 cases per day.

With their improved operations in Quechee Gorge Village, Carlson says they can produce up to 40,000 cases of Vermont Gold Vodka per year, 45,000 cases of No 14 Bourbon and 16,000 cases of Coppers Gin per year.

Their spirits are currently offered by several nearby Vermont restaurants in Quechee and Woodstock. They can also be purchased throughout the state as well as in New Hampshire,

Master Distiller Harry Gorman and the Copper Pot still, made from a repurposed commercial chocolate kettle and copper cooking pot.

Vermont Spirits Distilling Co is located in Quechee Gorge Village, on iconic Route 4. Open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m. for tastings and sales, and by appointment for tours and events.

The No 14 Old-Fashioned

1 or 2 Luxardo maraschino cherries

1 slice of orange

2 or 3 dashes of your favorite bitters

No 14 Bourbon to taste

In a rocks glass, add cherries, orange slice and 2-3 dashes of bitters. Muddle fruit and bitters. Fill glass with ice. Add No 14 Bourbon to taste. Garnish with orange twist.

Right next door, the company is renovating a vacant building to create a cocktail bar where patrons can enjoy the cocktail recipes they can only partake now at nearby restaurants like Simon Pearce, the Woodstock Inn & Resort and The Prince & the Pauper. They are also building a deck between their distillery and new cocktail bar for live music. Carlson says they plan to have them ready by Memorial Day Weekend 2023.

Don Kolp has a great deal of experience in restaurant management and mixology in Boston and Nantucket. He leads the effort to create a quintessential cocktail bar experience for patrons. “There is so much potential,” Kolp says.

Kolp has been with the company for two years and is training to be a master distiller.

When patrons enjoy their spirits, Carlson says he wants the handmade craftsmanship that goes into every bottle and organic quality to be top of mind.

“In every small batch we make, we are committed to the land, the community and to the artisan craft of distilling. Our goal is to produce spirits with true character and exceptional taste.”

Blueberry Basil American Gin Spritzer

2 ounces Coppers American Gin

1 bar spoon Blake Hill Basil-Blueberry Shrub

3 ounces lemonade

Soda water

In a highball glass full of ice, combine the first 3 ingredients, then fill the rest of the glass with soda water. Roll in a second glass until shrub is mixed throughout. Garnish with lemon.

According to the dream team, "these awards reflect what we do best here in Vermont: innovation, ingenuity and a commitment to craftsmanship."

I think they are among the best on the planet.

— Randy Carlson, Vermont Spirits Distilling Co’s CEO

BY ROBERT COOK

The general store continues to be a true community anchor of smalltown life in a changing world. When residents and visitors want a place to reconnect with a simpler time, Vermont general stores are a great place to start.

Many general stores offer great food, coffee, locally made gifts and friendly conversation. They are a place where you might go to buy a household item, a morning paper or just say hello. General store owners are usually knowledgeable about their community and surrounding areas.

Chances are that when anyone drives through the Green Mountain State, they will stop at one of these stores for gas, groceries, souvenirs or just to stretch their legs. Each time they do, they will form a connection with Vermont culture that will likely stay with them.

Here are a few general stores and some Vermont-inspired spring cocktails:

JJ Hapgood General Store & Eatery, Peru

Local residents and visitors, including Sir Paul McCartney, frequent this store after a day on the slopes at Bromley, Stratton Mountain or Magic Mountain. People stop in to grab a drink at the new bar, or, when weather permits, sit down for a meal outside at one of the many tables. Head to the indoor or outdoor bar for a cocktail made by KJ Heingartner from SILO Distillery. If you’re short on time, pop in for a fresh-pressed juice to go or the famous buttermilk fried chicken sandwich.

The store serves as a gathering place and also offers live music performed by local bands such as The Butties Beatles Cover Band. The menu includes everything from pizza cooked on a woodfired stove to farm-fresh salads to vegetable ragout to the daily special cooked up by the house chef.

If you happen to visit this general store on a mild, sunny day, you may want to wet your whistle with the Hapgood’s Lavender Lemonade.

< Hapgood’s Lavender Lemonade

SILO Distillery Lavender Vodka

Fresh lemonade

Simple syrup made with Vermont maple syrup

Garnished with sugar-in-the-raw and lavender

F.H. Gillingham and Sons General Store, Woodstock

Gillingham’s is one of the most established general stores in the state, counting President Coolidge among its loyal shoppers. The store was started in 1886 by Franklin Gillingham, the great-grandfather of current owners, Jireh and Frank Billings.

A stop at F.H. Gillingham and Sons General Store is a must for Woodstock visitors to find items that range from locally made winter clothing, board games, Vermont craft brews, Vermont cheese and maple syrup.

The Sap Bucket served at nearby Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom is a great follow-on.

Sap Bucket

SILO Distillery Gin

St. Johnsbury Distillery Dunc's Maple Rum

Maple syrup from the Ambros' in Hartland

Fresh lemon juice

The Vermont Manhattan

½ ounce Antica Formula Vermouth

3 dashes orange bitters

1 dash Dorset Maple Reserve Bourbon

Barrel-aged Syrup

2½ ounces Smugglers

Notch Maple-Infused Bourbon

Ripton Country Store, Ripton

This country store, famous for the ice machine which reads “IEC,” looks and feels exactly like what you’d expect a general store in a tiny mountain town to look like. Set in the heart of Ripton — a town with an inn, school, town hall and just 600 residents — it’s just 10 minutes west down Route 125 from the Middlebury College Snow Bowl and the Rikert Nordic Center.

Open from 7a.m. to 7p.m. year-round, the Ripton Country Store is still the place where parents taking their kids up to the Snow Bowl’s Magic Carpet stop to pick up candy, milk or local eggs.

As a way to pay homage to the “IEC” ice machine, The Vermont Manhattan served at The Barrows House in Dorset seems like the thing to do. This drink is meant to be enjoyed year-round! In the spring, it's per fect to sip outside at one of The Barrows House's many fire pits as the sun goes down.

Shaw’s General Store, Stowe

For the past 125 years, Shaw’s General Store has stayed in the family — a family that counts several generations of NCAA, World Cup and Olympic ski racers, including Tiger Shaw, the current president of U.S. Skiing. Once home to Stowe’s first ski shop, Shaw’s shifted gears in 1936 after the first chair lift went in on Mt. Mansfield and ski shops proliferated up and down Mountain Road.

Stowe’s full-time population is 5,000 and two-thirds of the residents are second homeowners, relatively large by Vermont standards. While Shaw’s doesn’t sell foodstuffs or most essential goods, it does have everything from warm winter boots, flannel and fleece to toys for kids and maple syrup. It's a cornerstone of Stowe Village.

At the Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier, Laughter in the Dark is a great cocktail to round out your day of exploring Vermont general stores.

Laughter in the Dark

1 ounce Islay Scotch

¾ ounce Cynar

½ ounce Sherry

1 twist lemon peel (expressed and discarded)

1 Luxardo cherry

Warren Store, Warren

Located across from The Pitcher Inn in the tiny hamlet of Warren, the Warren Store inhabits an 1839 building that was previously home to an inn, a library, a post office and a hardware store. Today, the store continues to be a gathering place for Sugarbush and Mad River Glen skiers, artists and an assortment of the Mad River Valley’s eclectic locals.

Here, you’ll find clothing and accessories by brands like Woolrich, Toad & Co., Smartwool, Kuhl and Pistil. Additionally, there are housewares and gifts made by Vermont companies like Green Village Soap and greeting cards by local artists.

The Gold Rush served at Mad River Distillers in Warren and Burlington is a great way to keep that small-town vibe going.

The Gold Rush

2 ounces Mad River

Distillers Bourbon

¾ ounce lemon juice

¾ ounce Northwoods

Apiaries honey

Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled shaker. Shake until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled glass.

Recipe Sources: vtskiandride.com and diginvt.com

< The Gold Rush

Do you know?

QUESTION:

What is the oldest general store in Vermont?

Vermont general stores are

not just places where local residents can buy milk and bread, chew the fat or grab a hot cup of joe. They are community institutions that have stood the test of time. But in the beginning of the Green Mountain State, there was that first general store that set the plaid flannel tone statewide. Where was it?

See page 14

A pre-batched blend of straight bourbon whiskey, straight rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bi ers aged in used rye barrels producing a smoother, well-rounded, richer experience.

ANSWER:

The Putney General Store was originally a grist mill that was built on the banks of Sacketts Brook in 1765. It became a general store in 1769, and has been owned by a host of community-minded people who ensured its place as a vital social center. Even when a devastating fire leveled the general store in March 2008, Putney residents rallied and rebuilt it. The Putney General Store circa 1769 – that’s a lot of coffee and conversation!

Photos courtesy of www.putneygeneralstore.com

BRANDY

COCKTAILS

CORDIALS

FORTIFIED WINES

RUM

GIN

802 spirits.com 80+ Locations to serve you. Availability of products varies by location. Please drink responsibly.

VODKA

has a subtle but balanced

WHISKEY

Never bitter or sharp, made with soft red winter wheat, instead of the usual rye, for a one-of-a-kind, full-flavored bourbon that's easy to drink The taste is sweet with balance of oak,

Rye

027040 High West Double Rye! Whiskey

016189 Jefferson's Ocean Aged Rye

027056 Jim Beam Rye

027048 Knob Creek Rye

027016 Rittenhouse Rye Bonded Whiskey

900311 Sapling Vermont Maple Rye Whiskey

WHISKEY, SCOTCH

004084 Aberlour 12YR Single Malt

004125 Ardmore Legacy Scotch Whiskey

004356 Balvenie Doublewood Single Malt

004716 Chivas Regal Scotch

006998 Clan Macgregor Scotch

004796 Cutty Sark Scotch

004959 Glen Moray 12YR Scotch

005728 Glencadam 10 Yr Single Malt Scotch

005159 Glenfiddich 14YR

Beautifully rich and sweet with layers of creamy toffee, woody spices, can died orange peel and fresh toasted oak sweetness

005247 Highland Park 12YR Single Malt

005362 John Barr Reserve Black

008358 John Begg Blue Cap Scotch

005918 Jura 12YR Scotch

008828 Lauder's Scotch

005635 Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whiskey

004825 The Dalmore 12YR

004938 The Famous Grouse Scotch

005195 The Famous Grouse Smoky Black

005842 The Glenlivet 14YR

005924 The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve

005153 The Glenlivet Founders Reserve

005061 The Glenlivet French Oak 15yr

005036 The Glenlivet Single Malt

005733 The Glenrothes 10YR Old

006316 Tomatin 12YR Scotch

005108 William Grant's Scotch

005108 William Grant's Scotch

Uncle Nearest has won more than 520 awards in the last three years.

Drink Honorably™ Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, 50% and 46.5% Alc/Vol, Nearest Green Distillery, Shelbyville, TN. © 2023 Uncle Nearest, Inc.

STORE LOCATOR

No matter where you are, a Vermont Liquor Store is nearby. Visit us on the web at 802spirits.com Please call ahead to confirm store hours.

Hinesburg 116 Wine & Spirits 22 Commerce Street #4 (802) 482-4010 9 am -7 pm, Fri

Island Pond Kingdom Market 12 Railroad Street •723-5464

Country Store 1077 VT-242 • (802) 988-4040

Jeffersonville Jeffersonville Country Store 21 Mill Street • (802) 644-6300

Johnson Johnson’s Sterling Market 131 Lower Main Street

Norwich

Norwich Wines and Spirits

289 Main Street • (802) 649-1970

Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: Closed

Orleans

Olney’s General Store

72 Main Street • (802) 754-6365 Mon-Thurs:

Orwell Buxton’s’ Store 499 Main Street • (802) 948-2112 7 am-8 pm, Sat : 8am - 8pm,

Poultney Full Belly Deli & Beverage

206 Main Street • (802) 884-8082

Mon - Thurs, Sat: 10 am -8 pm, Fri: 10 am - 9pm , Sun: 10 am - 6 pm

Pownal

Dwyer’s State Line Beer & Wine 7324 Route 7 • (802) 823-7912 9 am - 8 pm, Fri - Sat: 9 am - 9 pm

Proctorsville Singleton’s Store 356 Main Street • (802) 226-7666

Mon-Thurs: 8am-6pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-9pm, Sun: 8am-7pm

Randolph M & M Beverage

6 Salisbury Street • (802) 728-9912

7 am - 10 pm, Sun: 8 am - 8 pm

Richford Jolley

308 Main Street • (802) 848-3886

6 am - 9 pm, 7 days

Richmond

Richmond Market & Beverage

56 Railroad Street • (802) 434-4550

Mon - Sat: 7 am - 8 pm, Sun: 7 am -7 pm

Over 80 Locations to Serve You

Alburgh Jolley Alburgh Bridge 3030 US Route 2 North, Suite 1 (802) 796-3360

8 am-8 pm, 7 days

Arlington Arlington Deli 3713 Route 7A • (802) 375-6427

8 am - 8 pm, Sun: 10 am - 5 pm

Ascutney Fireside Beverage 31 Depot Avenue • (802) 674-2775 10am-7pm, 7 days

Barre Beverage Baron 411 N. Main Street • (802) 479-9227

6 am - 9 pm, Fri: 6 am - 10 pm Sat: 7 am -10 pm, Sun: 7 am - 9 pm

Bellows Falls Stanch’s Place 97 Westminster Street • (802) 463-4020

Mon-Fri: 5:30 am-10pm, Sat: 6am - 10 pm,

Sun: 6 am - 8 pm

Bennington Bennington Beverage Outlet 125 Northside Drive • (802) 442-4001

9 am - 8 pm, Fri - Sat: 9 am - 9 pm

Sun: 9 am - 5 pm

Berlin Maplewood Vermont Travelers Service Center 159 Paine Turnpike North (802) 229-5291 • 24 hours, 7 days

Bethel McCullough’s Quik Stop 2069 Route 107 • (802) 234 - 9365

6 am - 9 pm

Bomoseen Beverage King Market & Deli 334 VT-4A • (802) 468-8917

8 am - 9 pm, Sun: 9 am - 7 pm

Bondville 7-Eleven 39 Route 30 • (802) 297-0361

7am-10:45pm, 7 Days

Bradford Hannaford’s 586 Lower Plain • (802) 222-3370

Mon-Sat: 9am-9pm, Sun: 10am-8pm

Brandon Brandon Discount Beverage & Tobacco 34 Conant Square • (802) 247-6785 10 am - 7 pm, Fri - Sat: 10 am - 8 pm

Sun: 10 am -4 pm

Brattleboro Hannaford's Supermarket 896 Putney Road • (802) 254-1160

9am-9pm ,7 days

Bristol Bristol Beverage 21 Prince Lane • (802) 453-3990

9am - 7 pm, Sun: 10 am -4 pm

Lyndonville Lyndonville Redemption 406 Broad Street • (802) 626-8348

7 am - 10 pm, 7 days

Manchester Manchester Discount Beverage 380 Depot Street • (802) 362-4075

Middlebury Hare and the Dog 260 Court Street, Suite 3 (802) 388-2102

Milton Raj Liquor & Beverage 69 Middle Road • (802) 891-9888

am - 9:30 pm, Sat - Sun:

am -

pm Montgomery Center Sylvester’s Market 20 Main Street • (802) 326-4561

Montpelier Yankee Wine & Spirits 126 Main Street • (802) 223-2331

Morrisville

Tomlinson’s Store, Inc.

81 Bridge Street • (802) 888-3120 6 am - 9 pm, Sun: 7 am - 7 pm

Newport Vista Foods 21 Waterfront Plaza • (802) 334-8661 7 am - 8 pm,

Northfield

Rochester

Mac’s Market

67 North Main Street • (802) 767-3181

7 am - 8pm, Sun: 7 am -6 pm

Rutland City Grand Union

12 North Main Street • (802) 747-4908

Sun: 9am-7pm, Mon-Thurs: 9am-9pm, Fri-Sat: 9am-10pm

Rutland Town

Hannaford’s Food & Pharmacy 318 So. Main Street • (802) 775-0820

Sun-Thurs: 9am-8pm, Fri-Sat: 9am-9pm

St. Albans City

Beverage Mart 211 Lake Street • (802) 527-7437

6:30 am - 10 pm, 7 days

St. Albans Town

Colonial Mart 191 Swanton Road • (802) 527-7179

6 am - 10 pm,

St. Johnsbury Price Chopper 857 Memorial Drive • (802) 748-1109

Sharon Sharon Trading Post 5038 Route 14 • (802) 763-7404

6 am - 10 pm, 7 days

Shelburne Route 7 Liquor & Deli 2659 Shelburne Road • (802) 985-3246 6 am