Harmony Spirits
Overview of the Distillery
Harmony Spirits is located in the town of Harmony in southeastern Minnesota and is a small craft distillery that produces spirits from locally grown grain to bottle. The distillery makes vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, and bourbon in small batches and invites guests to a tasting room with both indoor and outdoor seating. The products are available on-site and online.
Raw Materials and Production
The production clearly relies on local ingredients: corn and oats constitute the main components of the distillery’s whiskeys, with certain mashbills specified (e.g., 70% corn / 30% oats and 80% corn / 20% oats). The vodka is made from 100% corn, triple-distilled and charcoal-filtered. The gin is also made on a corn base and infused with botanicals such as juniper, citrus zest, cubeb, and coriander to achieve its character. The rum is based on brown cane syrup and molasses. Several products are bottled with clearly stated proof levels (e.g., 80 proof/40% for standard whiskey and bourbon, 92 proof/46% for Straight Bourbon, 100 proof/50% for Bottled in Bond). The distillery works with small-batch production and emphasizes a close connection to the raw materials by using corn grown within a few miles, as well as a special Wild Oats edition made with a high proportion of oats from Fillmore County.
Maturation and Cask Types
Maturation takes place both in used bourbon barrels and in new American white oak barrels from The Barrel Mill in Avon, MN. Standard whiskeys are highlighted as aged in used bourbon barrels, while bourbon variants often use new American white oak barrels. There are also examples of experimental cask usage, e.g., whiskey aged in barrels that previously housed maple syrup, which imparts influence from the prior cask contents without added sugar.
Whiskeys
The whiskey lineup ranges from a standard Harmony Spirits Whiskey and several bourbon variants to more special editions. The bourbon family includes Bourbon Whiskey, Straight Bourbon, Barrel Strength edition, and a Bottled in Bond variant, while there are also special editions such as a Maple Syrup Barrel Finished Whiskey and a Wild Oats high-oat whiskey. Several of the products list proof, and the distillery’s profile encompasses both sippable bottles and spirits suitable for cocktail use.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harmony Spirits Whiskey | Whiskey | 40 % | Used Bourbon Barrels | Whiskey made from 70% corn and 30% oats, grown close to the distillery, and aged in used Bourbon barrels. Bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV).; Nose: Aromatic with notes of sweet brown sugar and hints of vanilla; Taste: Smooth, sweetness from brown sugar and vanilla; Finish: Toasted oak with dark peppery spice | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
| Harmony Spirits Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon | 40 % | New American White Oak Barrels | Bourbon made from 80% corn and 20% oats, aged in American white oak barrels from The Barrel Mill and bottled at 80 proof.; Nose: Mild with notes of vanilla; Taste: Butterscotch start and caramel; Finish: Warm oak barrel finish | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
| Harmony Spirits Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon (Full Proof) | Barrel Strength / Full Proof edition of the distillery’s Bourbon family with highlighted aromas of tobacco, toasted sugar and spice. ABV not stated on the product page.; Nose: Aroma includes hints of premium madura tobacco and toasted sugar; Taste: Creamy with notes of vanilla, almond, toasted sugar and Amarena cherry; Finish: Spicy finish with suggestions of cinnamon and black pepper | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online (when available) | ||
| Harmony Spirits Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Straight Bourbon | 46 % | New American White Oak Barrels | Straight Bourbon aged in new American white oak barrels, bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV).; Nose: Butterscotch and vanilla without an overly sweet note; Taste: Notes of spice and oak; Finish: Warm, creamy finish with a hint of maple and spice | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
| Harmony Spirits Bottled in Bond Bourbon Whiskey | Bourbon (Bottled in Bond) | 50 % | New Barrels | Bottled in Bond edition of the distillery’s Bourbon, aged in new barrels from The Barrel Mill and bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV). | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
| Maple Syrup Barrel Finished Whiskey | Whiskey (Barrel Finished) | 45 % | Used Bourbon Barrels previously housing Maple Syrup; finish: Whiskey enhanced by flavours from a barrel that previously stored maple syrup | 70% corn / 30% oats whiskey, aged in used Bourbon barrels which previously housed Maple Syrup; bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV). Not an added maple liqueur, but whiskey influenced by the barrel’s previous contents.; Finish: A noticeable maple flavor on the finish (no sugar added) | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
| Wild Oats Whiskey | Whiskey (High-Oat) | Not specified (aged in barrels mentioned generally) | Unique whiskey made with 80% oats and 20% corn from Fillmore County; emphasizes a silky mouthfeel and pronounced oat notes.; Taste: Silky, honey-like mouthfeel with notes of caramel, oak, and stone fruit; Finish: Lightly spicy | Current; Core range; Sold on-site and online |
Whiskeys’ Style and Flavor Profiles
Throughout the product descriptions, sweet elements recur: brown sugar/toasted sugar and caramel/butterscotch appear in several expressions. Vanilla and nutty nuances (e.g., almond) are evident in the bourbons, while spicy tones such as black pepper and cinnamon are especially noted for the bolder expressions. Oak influence (toasted oak) is a recurring feature in the descriptions, tying sweetness and spice together.
Visiting the Distillery
The distillery’s tasting room is open on weekends and Thursdays during the stated hours and offers tastings of vodka, gin, rum, barrel-aged rum, whiskey, and bourbon. There are indoor and outdoor seating options as well as good parking. Guests can purchase bottles to take home and enjoy cocktails or order food from nearby restaurants. Pours can be neat/rocks and flight options; visits can be made as drop-in during opening hours.
The stated hours are Thursday 14:00–19:00 | Friday & Saturday 12:00–21:00 | Sunday 12:00–17:00 | Monday–Wednesday Closed.
Philosophy and Craft
Harmony Spirits emphasizes a local and traceable starting point: short-batch production and use of locally grown corn and oats to link the raw materials and the finished product. The philosophy is expressed as a "from grain to glass" approach with a focus on craftsmanship and local ingredients.