McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey from Finger Lakes Distilling is a New York craft bourbon made from a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley — aged in newly charred American oak and finished in former Chardonnay casks sourced from neighboring Finger Lakes wineries. The Chardonnay cask finish imparts a rich, buttery character that rounds out the bourbon’s notes of toffee, apricot, and cinnamon.

Finger Lakes Distilling sits high above Seneca Lake in upstate New York wine country, surrounded by the grapevines of nearly 40 wineries. The 5,000 square foot distillery — complete with a 15-foot-tall canoe-shaped chandelier made using reclaimed lumber — was inspired by Scotland’s most prestigious distilleries. Brian and Thomas McKenzie (unrelated, despite the shared name) source corn and rye from local upstate New York farmers and malted barley from Canada, mashed and milled in-house. The mash is fermented approximately three days and double-distilled in a 350-gallon, two-ton Holstein copper pot still imported from Germany. The bourbon ages at 100 proof in 10-gallon newly charred American oak casks for approximately 18 months, then is double-barreled in used Chardonnay casks.

Specs

• Distillery: Finger Lakes Distilling, Burdett, New York (NYS Farm Distillery)
• Style: American Bourbon Whiskey — Chardonnay Cask Finished
• Mash bill: 70% corn (local NY), 20% rye (local NY), 10% malted barley (Canada)
• Distillation: 350-gallon, two-ton Holstein copper pot still (Germany-imported)
• Aging: 10-gallon newly charred American oak for ~18 months, then finished in used Chardonnay casks
• Size: 750ml

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