McMenamins is a very successful brand. It does what it does with panache. From brewing to distilling, wine-making to movie theaters and concerts, the brewpub chain’s hospitality is well-rounded. Just so was the Oregon distillers’ festival held on the grounds of the McMenamins resort at Edgefield, just outside of Portland, last weekend.
Straight Neck Stills & Littlemill Roots: Five Things You Didn’t Know About Loch Lomond
READ THE STORY
The Snake River Stampede Canadian blend, bottled by Indio Spirits out of Portland, made an appearance, as did Edgefield’s own Monkey Puzzle – an unexpected offering of a four year old single malt made with teamaker hops (a non-bitter cultivar from OSU) and the addition of blackberries after maturation. We tried this latter one at the recent WhiskeyTown USA festival, finding it to be “a blue-cheesy, astringent tannin bomb.”
Immortal Spirits offered an off-white spirit that if let to rest for a few years has the makings of a pleasant whiskey. Their absinthe, on the other hand, was mature. It was surprisingly smooth and rich for so high an alcohol content, with a complex blend of herbs. In fact, to balance the bitterness of the wormwood and the traditional masking agent of fennel, they also used every mint they could forage. This is creativity, folks.
Trending Content
To be honest, my favorite drams of the evening were not, actually, whiskey. Out of all the tastings, two stood out as exceptional representations of their kind: Aria Portland Dry Gin from distiller Ryan Csanky, and the Ginger Liqueur from Chris Beatty of Spiritopia. Look them up, as a present to yourself.
Another successful night of hospitality from McMenamins, and Oregon has once again proved itself a producer of world-class spirits.
