Guest Post: Bill Feher Visits Whiskey Del Bac
It’s been a couple of years since our last guest blog by Shane Kinloch, but we have another opportunity. Bill Feher, longtime friend of Scotchology, recently traveled to Tuscon, AZ and had a chance to visit Hamilton Distillers, makers of Whiskey Del Bac. He was so enthused upon his return that it felt almost mean for us not to offer a platform to voice his experience. Bill currently resides in Pittsburgh where, beyond sipping whiskey, writing and hiking, he is also an accomplished woodworker. But in the meantime, let’s check out what he thought about his Tuscon odyssey and if he found anything to bring back with him!
Whiskey Del Bac Dorado
Whiskey Del Bac began production in 2013 in Tuscon, AZ. Founded by Stephen Paul and his daughter Amanda, the distillery is perhaps best known for their mesquite usage. Asking the very valid question of why barley couldn’t be smoked with the American Southwest’s native mesquite tree much like peat is used in Scotland and Ireland, Whiskey Del Bac has found resounding success since releasing their lineup, both in sales and industry awards. They are also a grain-to-glass distillery, using as many native elements in their production as possible. Named after the local Mission San Xavier del Bac, Del Bac Dorado represents everything we love about American craft whiskey, from the local sourcing to the experimentation to the crafting of a spirit unique to a place and people.
The Singleton: Game of Thrones Edition
Leading up to the final season of the mega-hit HBO series Game of Thrones, spirits conglomerate Diageo released a set of 8 single mats paired with a House of Westeros and the Night Watch. A few of the scotches have age statements but most do not. The Singleton is a scotch not regularly seen in the US, which is why we snatched this up while in an airport duty free shop. Made from the Glendullan distillery, which was founded in 1897, it draws its water from the famed Fiddich river. The pairing with House Tully seems proper, as the emblematic fish is shared both both the House in the books and the Singleton in real life.