All photos taken by Eliesa Johnson of The Restaurant Project.
The new Justin Sutherland signature single malt whiskey from Tattersall Distilling
The new Justin Sutherland signature single malt whiskey from Tattersall Distilling.
Yesterday at the Aspen Food & Wine festival, local Top Chef alum Justin Sutherland revealed a little project he'd been working on. Flaunting a little bottle of brown, he showed off the signature whiskey that he has been collaborating on with local Tattersall Distilling.
This distinct single malt whiskey is the first in a new Signature Series from the distillery, featuring collaborations with notable artists and artisans.
All photos taken by Eliesa Johnson of The Restaurant Project.
Sutherland, Gilman, and Kreidler of Tattersall
Sutherland, Gilman, and Kreidler
Sutherland, a true lover of a good mash, wanted a whiskey that he could have a hand in. One that would serve both his personal drinking tastes, but also as a bottle he could use in all his restaurants. Working with head distiller Bentley Gilman and founder Jon Kreidler, they chose a blend of three different straight, single malt whiskeys, which had been distilled and aged for more than two years in Minnesota white oak barrels. There's just a hint of smoke in this barbecue chef's bottle, the individual single malts consisted of mesquite-smoked (60%), applewood-smoked (30%) and chocolate-malted (10%) straight barley whiskeys.
All photos taken by Eliesa Johnson of The Restaurant Project.
Glass of bourbon
Blending is the thing where the flavors mingle and the magic happens (ask any Japanese distiller), and I was at Tattersall when Sutherland was tasting some of the blends with Gilman and Kreidler. They took their time to sip and discuss each unmarked bottle, seeking the flavors that he thought would work best together, "It's not simple, you think so much has to be represented by this whiskey so that it can be sipped straight or made into cocktails. I just want people to love it," Sutherland said.
The team worked toward a whiskey with with sweet notes from the apple, a smokey earthiness from the mesquite (the man often sips while tending some flaming meat, yo) and a finishing of chocolate undertones to give it some depth. I haven't tasted the final product, but it was fun to see the balances come together like that.
All photos taken by Eliesa Johnson of The Restaurant Project.
The new Justin Sutherland signature single malt whiskey from Tattersall Distilling
This is a limited edition whiskey, but will be behind the bar at some of Sutherland’s restaurants: Handsome Hog, Ox-Cart Arcade + Rooftop, Public Kitchen + Bar, The Fitz, Gray Duck Tavern, Fire & Whiskey, and Pearl & the Thief when it opens in downtown Minneapolis later this summer. You can score your own 750ml bottle for $49.99 at select liquor stores, including France-44 and Lowertown Liquors.
Sutherland’s Signature Series Whiskey will officially launch at a big party on Tuesday, June 25th at Tattersall. Sips of the spirit, snacks from Sutherland’s food truck, Fare Well, and live music promise it will be a pretty good night. The first 100 guests who buy the whiskey get a signature glass, and limited edition bragging rights.
