Appalachian Distillery single barrel bourbon debuts

Appalachian Distillery of Ripley, West Virginia, has been busy working on some new products including an 80 proof whiskey and a 100 proof bourbon.

“We made a couple of experimental barrels of the bourbon,” said Dwayne Freeman, co-owner and lead distiller. “We wanted to see how it would turn out.

“I only had two 10-gallon barrels to bottle and sell. It’s turned out really well.”

Appalachian Distillery Bourbon released

The bourbon was released quietly this fall, and the entire batch was purchased by Freeman’s regular customers.

The single barrel bourbon was made primarily of corn with some barley malt. It was aged for just over one year in a new, charred oak barrel.  Instead of using the standard 52-gallon barrel, he used 10-gallon barrels because the whiskey ages quicker in them.

He sent a barrel sample of this bourbon to bourbon experts in Louisville. They tasted it and liked it best at 100 proof. So that’s where he bottled it.

He offered the first batch of bottles at the distillery tasting room, and it quickly sold out. Before bottling the second barrel, he started a list and took names of persons wanting to purchase a bottle. It was totally subscribed before the second barrel was bottled.

Next release next fall

The next bourbon release will not take place until a year from now. This time Freeman will bottle-up more than two small barrels full, but he hasn’t decided the exact amount at this time.

He is again filling some small barrels so he can have a more aged tasting bourbon ready next fall. Additionally, he will fill a number of regular 52-gallon new charred oak barrels. The bourbon he puts in the standard barrels will age for at least two years and be released later as a straight bourbon.

The next bourbon availability will be announced on Appalachian Distillery’s website and Facebook page.

Plenty of Original Appalachian Whiskey for sale

“We have plenty of the 80-proof whiskey,” Freeman assured us. “The grain bill for the bourbon and the Original Appalachian Whiskey are exactly the same.”

He said the main difference is that the whiskey was aged in a used barrel and is bottled at a lower proof.

The distillery continues production of its standard and flavored moonshine line. Some of the more popular flavors include paw paw, cinnamon, and apple pie.

Most products are available in 750 ml, 375 ml, and 50 ml packages.

The distillery tasting room store has plenty of branded merchandise and novelties that could make nice holiday gifts.

The distillery tasting room is open daily except Sundays. For more information, visit the Appalachian Distillery webpage.