Grand Traverse Distillery

Historie

• Grand Traverse Distillery opened in 2005 in Traverse City and is described as Northern Michigan's first grain-to-bottle craft distillery.

• Founder: Kent Rabish, who grew up on a family farm; Grandpa George had kept a still in a barn, which inspired the distillery's naming heritage.

• The company has evolved from a family-founded idea to Northern Michigan’s in-house production of vodka, whiskey, gin and rum with locally sourced grains.

• In 2023 they lost Master Distiller Landis Rabish, whose work and high standards underpin future development.

• They celebrate their 20th anniversary and describe the past as the foundation for continued development: local farming, transparency and craftsmanship, as well as expansion to more flavor profiles and distribution across Michigan.

Produktion

• Production is small-batch and from scratch, with mashing, fermenting, distilling and aging carried out in-house.

• All products are mashed, fermented, distilled and aged in-house; they emphasize locally grown grains and natural source water as the heart of the spirits.

• The tour concept showcases the production site: production, barrel house and aging in various woods; ends with a tasting in the tasting room.

• Offered the Cask-Strength, Single-Barrel Program: customers can personally select a unique cask of their bourbon or rye whiskey, bottled at cask strength with no chill filtration.

• Aging and flavor development are achieved through:

• New American white oak barrels (#4 char) for bourbon and the Ole George line.

• Maple syrup barrels for aging in bourbon-barrel syrup and later use for whiskey.

• High-vanillin barrels and Solera barrels as part of systems to add vanilla and layered flavor profiles.

• The Solera system (from four years in new oak, transitioning through high-vanillin French oak and cognac-finish casks) for continually developing flavor.

• Production and refinement are supported by a focus on quality control, local sourcing and a family-driven culture.

Whiskyprodukter

• Cherry Whiskey

• Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon

• Ole George Rye Whiskey

• Double Barrel Ole George

• Lake Michigan Bourbon

• Isles O' Rye

• Solera Ole George

• Maple Ole George

• American Single Malt Whiskey

• Lando Whiskey (Single Pot American Whisky)

• Single Barrel Ole George (Cask Strength)

• Single Barrel Bourbon (Cask Strength)

• Wine Cask Bourbon (released / to be announced in a future news post)

• 12-Year American Single Malt (ASM) – released as a longer-aged version

• Noted especially Isle O’ Rye and Isles O' George as particularly characterful combinations of rye and peated barley

• Previews of new products: Lake Michigan Bourbon, Solera Bourbon, Solera Ole George, etc., appear in press releases and Our Spirits updates

Pricing information: No specific prices are given in the text; product details include ABV for several products (e.g., Cherry Whiskey 40%, Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon 50%, etc.).

Smagsnoter

• Cherry Whiskey: Bourbon-based; infused with Montmorency dried cherry concentrate; subtle cherry note in the finish.

• Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon: Highlighted notes of oak and caramel with spice and black pepper from the high-rye content.

• Ole George Rye Whiskey: Earthy, peppery notes; balanced with a robust rye flavor.

• Double Barrel Ole George: Extra oak notes from 18 months of aging in French oak; strong oak sweetness.

• Maple Ole George: Rye with maple syrup-barrel aging; sweetness from maple and mellowing of spicy notes.

• Lake Michigan Bourbon: Based on wheated bourbon; sweet notes from corn and wheat; rounded finish.

• Isles O’ Rye: American rye meets peated Scottish malt; earthy, lightly smoky profile.

• Solera Ole George: Layered, changing profile from cascade through different casks (American white oak, French oak, cognac-finish).

• American Single Malt: 100% malted barley; notes of tobacco, nut milk, honey, cinnamon, oak and bakery spices; finish with hints of anise and leather.

• Lando Whiskey: Single Pot American Whisky; 50% malted barley, 50% barley; sweet malt, honey and gentle heat.

• Single Barrel Ole George and Single Barrel Bourbon: Cask strength; higher ABV; caramel, toffee and honey from the barrels; toasted oak notes.

• 12-Year American Single Malt: aged 12 years; notes of tobacco, anise, honey, cinnamon, oak and leather tones; described as the distillery's longest-aged ASM.

• Wine Cask Bourbon: Four years in new American oak barrels followed by 6–12 months finish in red wine casks (notes of plum and cherry appear in the finish).

Begivenheder og nyheder

• Taste of Grains: grain-to-glass event during the Traverse City Food & Wine Festival, August 20–21, in the Downtown Traverse City tasting room; an 8-flight tasting, $20, light snacks and explanations of grain choices and processes.

• Lake Michigan Bourbon: new spirit, launched in tasting rooms as of June 29; marking a local Northern Michigan focus.

• Wine Cask Bourbon: announced for tasting rooms on Monday, November 24; exclusive to tasting rooms.

• New Single Barrels: five new single-barrel picks released on Friday, May 30; each location chooses its own barrel; proceeds to local charitable causes.

• Solera Ole George: back on shelves in some tasting rooms (back in stock).

• 12-Year American Single Malt: released and available in tasting rooms; limited quantity.

• Leland and Mackinaw City: reopening for the summer; update on openings and new products (Lando Malt Whisky, Solera Bourbon, Ole George Orange Rye, etc.).

• New American Single Malt: upcoming version with longer aging (blog updates).

• Bond. Bottled in Bond: explains the principles and significance for GTD; changes in the range over time toward Bond versions.

• Various events and cocktails: recreation of the Revolver cocktail, and many other recipes and events (barrel-aged gin, six cocktail guides, etc.).

Virksomhedens filosofi og værdier

• Core principle: small batch, from scratch; craftsmanship and authenticity are central.

• Focus on quality and location in Northern Michigan: locally grown grains, source water, and in-house production through mashing, fermenting, distilling and aging.

• Long-term sustainability and community involvement: support for local farmers, contributions to charitable causes through Charitable Single Barrels, and communicating processes to educate and inspire whiskey enthusiasts.

• Willingness to innovate within barriers and regulations: ability to implement Solera, barrel innovations and a cask-strength program for unique barrel picks.

• Family and culture: 'grand spirits run in the family,' Landis' Legacy and continued focus on the family foundation and the ongoing development of the distillery's heritage.

Bemærk: Pricing information and detailed technical specifications are not always provided; where possible, the information is taken directly from the given sources, and the summary focuses on the available information about Grand Traverse Distillery and their whiskey lineup.