Rock Town Distillery has garnered attention for years, and a recent encounter tasting their distinct spirits and engaging with its founder has solidified their position as a noteworthy craft distiller. This renewed interest was sparked by a single cask release from Lost Lantern Whiskey, curated by Adam Polonski and Nora Ganley-Roper, which highlighted the unique character of Rock Town’s offerings.
Embark on a journey to Little Rock, Arkansas, and delve into the story of Rock Town Distillery, guided by founder and distiller Phil Brandon. This exploration marks a venture into Arkansas’s spirits landscape, uncovering a distillery that is contributing significantly to the American craft spirits movement within a less-explored distilling region.
Arkansas, despite its rich agricultural heritage and status as a breadbasket state, is not typically at the forefront of discussions about American distilling. Even with nearly fifteen years since Rock Town Distillery’s inception, the state’s distillery count remains under ten, with a significant portion of its counties still adhering to dry laws. This context underscores Rock Town Distillery’s pioneering role in shaping Arkansas’s craft spirits identity.
Interestingly, Little Rock’s maturation climate shares notable similarities with Kentucky and Tennessee, renowned for bourbon production. This parallel climate allows Rock Town to leverage established aging practices, focusing instead on innovation in other aspects of spirit creation. Phil Brandon embodies this innovative spirit, constantly experimenting and crafting a diverse portfolio. From bourbons and ryes to single malts and clear spirits, Rock Town embraces a broad spectrum of spirits, each designed for both sipping neat or enhancing cocktails.
Phil Brandon’s journey is marked by early inspirations from pioneering distilleries like Tuthilltown Spirits in New York and Dry Fly Distilling in Washington, alongside mentorship from the esteemed Dave Pickerell. These influences have shaped Rock Town Distillery’s continuous evolution, defining what Arkansas whiskey and spirits can represent. Crucially, Rock Town prioritizes Arkansas-grown products, extending to locally sourced bottles and barrels, further embedding its identity within the state’s terroir.
To discover more about Rock Town Distillery’s compelling story, tune into the Whiskey Ring Podcast at whiskeyringpodcast.com or wherever you access your podcasts.
Note: Gratitude to Rock Town Distillery for providing samples. The opinions expressed are based on personal tasting experiences.
