Production places
Connections to water sources, peat places, maltings, cooperages, warehouses and maturation sites. Uncertain connections are labelled.
No documented production places are linked to this distillery yet.
San Francisco Distilling Co.
About the Distillery
San Francisco Distilling Co. began in 2014 with an ambition to create a distinctive American whiskey. Founded by Jeff Jones, the company produces small-batch bourbons and single-barrel releases, and it combines classic bourbon craftsmanship with the production of other premium spirits.
History
Jeff Jones founded San Francisco Distilling Co. in 2014 with the desire to make a distinctive American whiskey. Since inception, the distillery has worked in small batches and developed single-barrel releases, and the company is described as an active player in American whiskey for more than a decade. The company's story carries a clear emphasis on both tradition and the ambition to create its own interpretations of the bourbon style, while the range also includes other spirits such as gin.
Raw Materials and Production
The documented mash bills for the bourbons indicate a blend of corn, rye, and malted barley (70/24/6). Both bourbon bottles are bottled at 45% ABV. Production focuses on small-batch blending and single-barrel selection; the single-barrel edition is aged in new charred oak barrels. In addition to bourbon, the distillery produces gin, using distillery-grown and local botanicals in its recipe, highlighting a local sourcing in their spirit production.
Maturation and Cask Types
The aging of Forty Nine Mile Bourbon occurs as a four-barrel blend, aged seven years on the Mendocino coast; the coast's microclimate is mentioned as part of the maturation process. The single-barrel edition undergoes seven years of aging in new charred oak barrels, providing a pronounced influence from freshly charred American oak.
The whiskies
The portfolio is centered on bourbon under the name Forty Nine Mile, with a 7-year-old small-batch bourbon and a 7-year-old single-barrel release, both bottled at 45% ABV. Alongside bourbon, the distillery offers gin (Forty Below Gin), using local and distillery-grown botanicals. The range shows a focus on cask aging, selected single casks, and craft small-batch production.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forty Nine Mile Bourbon | Bourbon | 45 % | 7 years | Four-barrel blend aged on the Mendocino coast | Small-batch bourbon; a four-barrel blend with mash bill 70% corn, 24% rye and 6% malted barley, aged 7 years and bottled at 45% ABV.; Nose: Rich vanilla and oak; Flavor: Full-bodied, caramel, aged oak, nougat, and a hint of citrus; Finish: Long, rich and robust | Current; Core range; Available |
| Forty Nine Mile Single Barrel Bourbon | Bourbon (Single Barrel) | 45 % | 7 years | New charred oak barrels | 7-year-old single-barrel bourbon, aged in new charred oak barrels and bottled at 45% ABV; mash bill 70% corn, 24% rye, 6% malted barley.; Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, caramel; subtler notes of dried fruit and honey, plus baking spices; Flavor: Robust oak and charred wood with caramel and butterscotch, hints of dark chocolate and roasted nuts, slight peppery kick and cinnamon; Finish: Long with lingering oak influence; hints of leather and tobacco | Current; Core range; Available |
The whiskies' style and flavor profile
The bourbons show a clear influence of cask aging, with vanilla and oak as the defining elements. There is a pronounced caramel- and butterscotch-sweetness on the mid-palate and fruity notes, where the small-batch expression has a hint of citrus, while the single-barrel expression contains dried fruit and spicy notes such as cinnamon and a light peppery bite. The combination of these elements runs across the documented products.
Philosophy and Craft
The company operates with an explicit vision to create a distinctive American whiskey with respect for the history and tradition of whisky. The focus is on small-batch craftsmanship and single-barrel releases, and the distillery uses local botanicals in its gin production to highlight local raw materials.