Distill America XVIII: That's a Wrap!

 

Yesterday, Distill America XVIII was held at Breese Stephens Field in downtown Madison. If you’re unfamiliar with Distill America (and you should change that for 2027!), it is the Midwest’s premier celebration of American-only distilled spirts.

 

May in Wisconsin is anyone’s game. It can rain. It can snow. You could be under hail and tornado warnings. It could feel like you’re on the surface of the sun or stuck in a muggy swamp. Last year, it was near-perfect. Yesterday, it was, in a word, glorious.

 

There are so many cool things about this annual event. Firstly, it isn’t a cash grab. The organizers don’t take a salary and there’s no magic slush fund. All of the proceeds benefit the non-profit Wisconsin Distiller’s Guild. Secondly, it is affordable, because Distill America is geared toward having the right people come: consumers and folks in the hospitality industry.

 

The professional soccer field that usually features Madison Forward FC was the stage for over 80 brands, 10 of which are new this year to Distill America. The event is more than just whiskey: also present were rum, genever, gin, brandy, poitin, barrel-aged beer, pre-mixed drinks, RTD cocktails, and, yeah, even non-alcoholic (NA) options. While the big boys from Kentucky and Tennessee were there, most were craft distillers from all over the country, and Wisconsin’s showed up in style!

 

There are a host of event sponsors, and the most prominent (because it was in their hand) was Bulliet, who supplied free Glencairn glasses as everyone entered the event. There were other educational seminars open to everyone.

  

I ran into friends I’ve known for years and made several new ones. I encountered brands I’d never heard of and was excited to learn everything I could about them. I do that for every Distill America. Sometimes, I feel like an honorary ambassador!

 

Here’s Jennifer Popek of True Harvest Bourbon from Wild Rose, Wisconsin:

 

And from Colorado Springs, Colorado, here’s Richard Paul of Art of the Spirits:

 

Things started early for those few holding a VIP+ Distiller’s Session ticket. They participated in an exclusive educational seminar featuring Crown Royal’s Distiller and Brand Ambassador Stephen Wilson. What made this extra-special is that he provided samples from every component whisky (sorry folks, in Canada, there is no “e” in Canadian whisky), and then invited attendees to blend their very own version of Crown Royal! They received special swag, including glassware, in addition to the items received by other ticket tiers.

 

An hour later, those holding VIP tickets entered the arena to try special and limited-edition pours. Finally, the following hour, the gates opened for those holding General Admission tickets. Things got busy without becoming crowded. That’s the beauty of having this in an outdoor venue.

 

Spirits flowed freely. There was also plenty of free food for everyone that was monitored throughout the day to ensure that nothing was lacking.

People were full of smiles and found new things to enjoy. I commend the Madison Malt Society for putting on another very affordable, high-quality event that is a joy to attend year after year. It is always a marvelous #DrinkCurious opportunity.

On a side note, catch me tomorrow evening as a guest on My Whiskey Den, where we’ll be chatting all about Distill America’s aftermath.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: If you’ve not yet figured it out, this year was a winner and you got a ton of return for the price of a ticket. Distill America XIX is a mere 12 months away; Mrs. Whiskeyfellow and I can’t wait. My Bottle rating is more than deserved. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.