Millbrook Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Hello Hudson Valley

The Hudson Valley is quickly becoming a hotbed of distilling. Not only is Millbrook Distillery only the latest, but is already surpassed by two more distilleries yet to come. And in the big shouldered world of the Hudson Valley, no one needs a new bourbon. Outside of Kentucky, the Hudson Valley is already home to six very good bourbons. So muscling up will take some doing.

I first saw a bottle of Millbrook Distillery Dutchess Private Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey in a local liquor store. I wa curious. But my bourbon collection was already fairly full. Several thirsty guests later, I needed some bourbon. so I threw down my money in curiosity, having missed the opportunity to taste it at an earlier in-store tasting.

I had seen a snippet of one review from Maxim magazine, which read, “Seriously, this sauce is glorious straight sipping.” How bad could it be?

Millbrook Distillery is "headquartered at Paul Coughlin’s farm on Bowen Road in Stanfordville where rows of oak barrels are awaiting the next batch from the distillery. The barrels all bare the logo of a hound and the name Millbrook Distillery," wrote Stephen Kaye of The Millbrook Independent. "Coughlin and his partner Gerald Valenti share a love of the land; they both call themselves gentlemen farmers and both share a passion for good bourbon.  They are both active in the distilling, blending, barreling, aging, bottling and selling.  They are hands on.  The hound in the logo is an American foxhound that is a pet in the Valenti household. Coughlin tells the story of how foxhounds, whose music is dear to foxhunters, were used during Prohibition to warn the owners of stills of strangers who had the unmistakable odor of a federal official.  The hounds would set up a warning cry that could be heard through the hills."

Paul and Gerry’s interest in the outdoors and a simpler organic way of life was instrumental in forming a friendship that seeded the idea of Millbrook Distillery. Coughlin plans to plant corn and rye on his land that will be used in the distillery to make a truly local product. Their goal is to reach 2,500 cases.

Their foxhound, Copper, is named after our copper Holstein still. In the 1650’s, the foxhound set foot on the Crown Colonies for the first time. Robert Brooke, an English hunter, who was looking for a fresh start in the New World, brought the breed here. The Brooke family settled in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley. Upon its arrival in America, the foxhound quickly became known for its incredible sense of smell and its musical howl that can be heard for miles. Almost 100 years later, George Washington, a whiskey maker well before he was our first President, purchased his foxhound from descendants of the Brooke family.

Paul Coughlin. Paul Coughlin, the founder of Millbrook Distillery, is an avid outdoorsman and bourbon aficionado, With a passion for the outdoors and the desire to work the land, the Coughlin family purchased what is now known as Rolling Hills Farm in Stanfordville, NY. The Farm’s corn fields and natural spring water became the inspiration for Millbrook Distillery’s entrance to Dutchess County’s local agribusiness market. Paul is also the founder and Managing Partner of Longroad Asset Management, LLC.  He earned a B.A. from Georgetown University, where he was a member of the lacrosse and hockey teams.  He is a three-time Ironman triathlon finisher and competed several times in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.

 

Gerry Valenti is co-founder of Millbrook Distillery. He studied engineering and suffers from "a lifetime love of the science of food and beverage." A gentleman farmer, winemaker and forager, Gerry’s passion for the earth and the bounty it provides is instrumental in the selection of Hudson Valley grains utilized in our spirits.

Sarah Maserati Bramwell is Millbrook Distillery’s Chief Mixologist. She started mixing drinks from a young age, preparing libations for her (very patient) parents. At Yale University, she became known on campus for her innovative fermented punches, which, in the tradition of Mory’s Temple Bar, would be mixed in overflowing silver chalices (her recipes, to this day, remain a secret).  An inventive, delicious cocktail brings her audience such manifest enjoyment that Sarah finds making drinks even more addictive than drinking them.

So, while reading about Charles Dickens, I decided to crack the seal on this bourbon and pour some. I smelt it in the glass and tasted it. I then added a little ice. That's the way I like mine. I smelt it again. Tasted it again. Millbrook Distillery’s Dutchess Private Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey is crafted in small batches. They use the water that comes from a natural spring at Rolling Hills Farm, located in historic Hudson Valley, New York.

Dutchess Private Reserve has a lovely coppery color to it, or maybe like a gorgeous amber maple syrup. It starts off with a wonderful baked quality like cookies in the oven, butter, butterscotch, cookie dough, honey, vanilla, and lots of spice. It got a little bit of a bite up front, but goes down incredibly smoothly without a lot of burn. And it's definitely not as sweet as it smells. In fact, it's a beautiful, elegant, wonderful bourbon. Fantastic!

Move over everyone, the valley now has yet another superior bourbon!

I also leave you with one of Ms. Bramwell's cocktails:

The Foxhound 2 oz Millbrook Bourbon
1 1/2 oz sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz Campari
Use an orange slice as a garnish

 

Read more at:

http://themillbrookindependent.com/features/millbrook-bourbon-debuts