Lunch With Roughstock & Prichards

I got the chance to sit down with the makers of Roughstock Montana Whiskey & Prichard's Distillery yesterday at Martin's West in Redwood City.  Brian and Kari Schultz have put their heart and soul into opening their own distillery in Bozeman, Montana and taking advantage of all the grain growing within their great state.  I got to pick their brain about why they got started and what motivated them to begin whiskey production which was very interesting.  Bryan, with his background in engineering, originally thought about the brewing business, but told me that there's simply too much beer in Montana to go around.  He was told by local restaurants and retailers, however, that if he were to produce a whiskey it would immediately find a place on their shelves.  A few years later he and his wife have produced their first aged distillation to positive reviews.  You can view more info on their website by clicking on the link above.  The Roughstock is on our shelves as of this moment and I'll be curious to hear how the Bay Area receives it after Whiskies of the World tonight.  I think it's one of the more interesting new American whiskies I've tasted and it definitely stands out in a crowd.  Phil Prichard has been tweaking the standard whiskey formula as well releasing his Double Barreled Bourbon last year, which sees multiple maturations in different casks.  His newest venture is a Single Malt Whiskey made with 100% malted barley that just hit our store this week.  It is aged in new charred wood like a bourbon, so it still has the spice you would expect along with the cereal malt of a Scotch.  He plans on releasing some new liqueurs in the long term to go along with his outstanding rum products and whiskies.  Look for them tonight at Whiskies of the World!

 -David Driscoll