Drink This Now: Hudson Whiskey Maple Cask Rye's Up On Maple Creek

No doubt, you have seen Hudson Whiskey at some of the spots all over town, and around the country. Produced by Tuthilltown Spirits, the first distillery to open in New York State since the days of Prohibition, Hudson Whiskey fast became ubiqitous on back bars and in elevated cocktails in NYC and beyond.

“We started out as the little-distillery-that-could,” explains Ralph Erenzo, Founder and Distiller of Hudson Whiskey. “I had no idea I’d be making whiskey, let alone this much whiskey. I set out to start a climbers’ ranch. My business partner Brian Lee and I began Tuthilltown Spirits in 2003. Our first whiskey expression, Hudson Baby Bourbon, was released in 2006, which is the first-ever New York State-produced bourbon.”

Hudson Whiskey, he continues is the first legal pot-distilled whiskey made in New York State since Prohibition and 90 percent of the grains used are sourced from within 90 miles of the distillery.

“We produce handcrafted, artisanal spirits, one small batch at a time,” says Erenzo. “And we hand-wax and hand-number each bottle. I wasn’t able to launch my Bunks in the Gunks climbing ranch, but ended up with a wonderful distillery and award-winning whiskey.”

Now, Tuthilltown Spirits has debuted Hudson Whiskey Maple Cask Rye. “Years back, a maple syrup tapper bought a used bourbon barrel from our tasting room to try barrel-aging some of his maple syrup,” Erenzo explains. “The result was a success, with the flavors of Hudson Whiskey and maple contemplating one another beautifully.”

When he came the next season to buy a whole batch of bourbon barrels, Erenzo and the Tuthilltown Spirits team suggested a barter: as long as he returned the barrels in which he aged his maple syrup, we’d supply them for free.

“When the maple syrup-infused oak barrels return to Tuthilltown, we refill them with select barrels of mature Manhattan Rye, and set them aside for a final brief rest,” says Erenzo. “The celebrated result is Hudson Maple Cask Rye Whiskey: a natural, round sweetness, mellowing the rye spice and producing a rich and balanced whiskey.”