Tenmile Distillery

Short overview of the distillery

Tenmile Distillery is located in Wassaic, New York, housed in a renovated 100-year-old dairy barn. The distillery produces handcrafted single malt whisky as well as gin and vodka in small batches using locally grown New York grains and Forsyths equipment. The interiors reflect local wood and farming, and the production is characterized by long fermentations, slow distillations, and a careful, small-scale approach.

History

The project is led by John Dyson and Joel LeVangia. John Dyson has local farming roots and experience in the wine and public sectors and has been a driving force behind building the distillery. Joel LeVangia was responsible for realizing the installation in the renovated barn, while Master Distiller Shane Fraser brought many years of Scottish experience. Shane produced Tenmile's first new make in January 2020, and this first strong spirit was expected to be drinkable in 2023. Distiller Cole Peck contributes knowledge from fermentation sciences and wine production in the Hudson Valley and has been involved in building the distillery.

Raw materials and production

Tenmile combines traditional single-malt principles with modern design. There is a mash tun along with wash and spirit stills from Forsyths in Rothes, complemented by a vodka column and a specialized gin still. The facility also includes boilers, process water treatment, new wells and extensive steam and condensate piping. The grain is 100% New York wheat and barley when possible, fermentations run for nearly seven days, and both wash and spirit distillations are run slowly and can last an entire workday. The work is run in small batches with an emphasis on craft and control at every step.

Maturation and cask types

Whisky rests in a barrel room housed in a former cattle barn and mill. The casks are either French or American oak, and the selection includes casks that previously contained bourbon, sherry, port, as well as Francois Freres French oak casks, which previously housed Williams Selyem Pinot Noir. The distillery emphasizes that barrel aging is crucial for the finished character, and that the casks are selected with care.

Whiskies

Tenmile produces single malt whisky as well as gin and vodka in small batches using local ingredients. On the product pages, bottle sizes are typically 750 ml and alcohol by volume around 46% for spirits made from barley and wheat, and 40% for certain other products. The distillery has announced an initial limited release and invites interested parties to join a list for upcoming bottles and special cask offers.

Visit the distillery

The distillery offers guided tours and a tasting room with a bar built from the farm's own wood. There is a patio for warmer months and a cocktail menu in the tasting room. Tenmile also hosts private and special events such as dinners and parties; inquiries are handled through the contact form on their contact page.

Philosophy and craft

Tenmile operates according to traditional single malt principles combined with a targeted use of local ingredients. The values include a passion for craft, a focus on quality at every step, and a desire to produce a world-class single malt by adapting Scottish techniques to New York's ingredients.

Latest news

Tenmile Distillery is making history the old-fashioned way – 2026-07-08

Article about Tenmile Distillery's position with respect to the newly formalized category American Single Malt Whiskey and the distillery's use of traditional approaches.