An Experience Best Shared - Distillery Tour at Driftless Glen, Baraboo WI
In February of 2024 Myself and my Spouse took a drive through the driftless area of our state heading to Baraboo, WI. This is one of my favorite drives in the fall, going to Devils lake for a hike when all the beautiful color of leaves are on display. However this is Wisconsin in February and there is no snow on the ground, there is a different type of appreciation to be had here.
You may already know or heard the term driftless area of Wisconsin. The South West area in Wisconsin is driftless due to the absence of glacial drift from 10,000 years ago, this area was completely untouched by glacier silt, gravel, and rocks that would have been left behind if a glacier had been through the area. Why does this matter? Not only is this a beautiful part of our state, but the bedrock in this area is made up of softer stone like limestone. With the right conditions brings an amazing business to light.
Driftless Glen has all the right conditions for an amazing distillery right on the Baraboo river. This is an experience best shared with friends or loved ones ones; leaving you wanting to come back for more. I am not a food critic, and I will not share pictures of my food, however it was one of the best meals I have had at a restaurant. Let me get to my point, I love the history on how or why something started and why a location was chosen. I 100% recommend taking their tour, there is high pride in what they do and produce.
On the distillery tour they walk you through the whole distilling process, the copper stills are stunning, shined and picturesque. The how and why they started is a great story worth sharing, and you are correct, I am not going to ruin it for you. The aging process is an amazing process in itself. Driftless Glen uses new charred American oak barrels, the whiskey and bourbon ages with expansion and contraction of the spirits into the wood oak staves. The rack house has a a unique sweet smell, you can smell the oak, char of the barrel and there is a sweetness in the air almost reminiscent of molasses, I would love to have that scent captured in a candle!
On the Tour they discuss the different spirits they offer:
Bourbon
Rye Whiskey
Brandy
Gin
Vodka
At the end of the tour they offer a tasting.
They also offer unique Olive Oil bends with various herbs and spices. The olive oil is aged in whiskey barrels, just like their maple syrup. My only regret is not buying any olive oil when we were there.
I do not drink much, however I appreciate a good Old Fashioned every now and then, and I love a good Mocktail. Driftless Glen's drink menu is impressive and offers a wide verity of Old Fashioned options. The Orange-YA Glad Old Fashioned is easily among my favorites. The Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, asking for a Mocktail was easy. No more kiddy cocktails or just soda with a lemon with the increasing popularity of Mocktails. I ordered a NA Moscow Mule, it was smooth and light , and made with quality ingredients. One thing is for sure, no detail is missed.
My Spouse ordered the same Old Fashioned I did, a Whiskey Sour and a flight of 3 bourbon in which he throughly enjoyed.
We purchased a few items:
Driftless Glen American Single Malt Whiskey aged 5+ years
Driftless Glen Bourbon barrel aged Maple Syrup
Driftless Gen Whiskey Stone
Sprit Lake Coffee Roasters- Bourbon Barrel aged coffee (aged in Driftless Glen 5 year old bourbon barrels)
In my husbands own words "I am not a Whiskey Sommelier, and this is my opinion to be used for entertainment purposes only." Upon the first sip of Driftless Glen American Single Malt Whiskey the first thing I notice is the smell of an earthy bread like aroma. The first flavor I get immediately is smokiness, not an over powering amount of smoke like the Islay single malt scotches, but enough smoke to stand out immediately. The second flavor that is almost immediate is a mix of vanilla and honey, with a decent spice finish. Although there is a slight mouth burn there is not any burn going down. The most interesting part about this American Single Malt is the fact that it has the aroma and flavor of banana bread, and even the nuttiness comes out as if even walnuts were involved. It has earned a permanent spot in my liquor cabinet as it provides a nice change of pace to traditional bourbons, scotches and other types of whiskey.
One More and I Gotta Go....
To my coffee drinkers, Coffee snobs, and those who prefer to support WI coffee roasters, I recommend giving Sprit Lake Coffee Roasters a try. I drink my coffee black, I have a dairy allergy so over time I have learned to enjoy my coffee black. I have always had a fear of someone putting milk in my order, so I like to keep it simple. However you prefer to drink your coffee, enjoy reading the blog along the way. That's it, I gotta go.
