Iron Smoke Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
Iron Smoke Distillery is a farm distillery in Fairport, New York, producing handcrafted straight bourbon in small batches. The signature is the use of applewood smoke together with a proprietary four-grain mash bill, and the facility includes a Watering Room with a bar, live music, and an events space. The distillery has built a reputation through high ratings and collaborations, making it interesting for both local visitors and whisky collectors.
History
The story begins with an idea in 2011, when founder Tommy Brunett experimented with combining bourbon production and applewood BBQ smoke in his backyard. The concept grew, and Iron Smoke was established as a farm distillery in Fairport around 2018. In the following years the distillery received substantial attention: a high score in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible in 2018 and coverage in Forbes in 2019 helped put Iron Smoke on the map beyond New York. Since then the distillery has released several small-batch and collaboration bottles, including a prominent collaboration with guitarist John Petrucci, whose first Rock The Barrel batch sold out quickly at release in May 2021.
Raw Materials and Production
The production is based on locally sourced ingredients from family-owned farms in the Finger Lakes region and a proprietary four-grain mash bill consisting of corn, wheat, barley, and rye. The grains are milled on site according to the distiller's specifications and cooked in a steam-powered mash tun. The mash is cooled and fermented for up to seven days in fermentation tanks. Distillation occurs in two stages: first in a 1,000 gallon Vendome pot still and then in a 250 gallon Vendome 4-plate column still, where the high-quality white spirit is selected. Several distillates are blended in a 1,000 gallon stainless steel tank before barreling. Each batch undergoes manual cask selection at bottling, and many processes—from milling to bottling—are performed in small batches with hands-on labor.
Aging and Barrel Types
The whiskey is typically filled into virgin oak barrels made from furniture-grade oak, air-dried for at least 36 months before use. The distillery also uses triple-char virgin white oak barrels for their cask-strength releases. Some single-barrel releases are noted as stored in a rick house. The text notes that aging often approaches three years before considering bottling, and that barrels are hand-picked to find optimal bottling moments.
Whiskeys
Iron Smoke has a broad range, from core releases like their Straight Bourbon and Double Oaked to more pronounced cask-strength releases (CASKet/Casket Strength) and Special Reserve Single Barrel in both 90 and 120 proof versions. The lineup also includes collaboration releases such as Rock The Barrel (including Rock The Barrel 2 with John Petrucci) and a range of flavored products under the Rattlesnake Rosie name (Apple Pie, Maple Bacon, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Bourbon Cream). The assortment includes both small-batch core bourbon and seasonal or limited releases.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Alcohol | Barrel & Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Smoke Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Straight Bourbon | 40 % | Virgin oak barrels (furniture grade) | The basic small-batch straight bourbon from Iron Smoke; characterized by a discreet applewood smoke in the background and highlighted as handcrafted in Fairport, NY. | Current; Core range; Available (online and via retailers) |
| Iron Smoke Casket Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey | Straight Bourbon (Cask Strength) | 60 % | Triple char virgin white oak | A very limited, unfiltered and uncut small-batch cask strength release hand-picked from the distillery's own casks; listed as 120 proof and highlighted for its rich layers. | Limited; Limited/selective drops |
| Special Reserve Single Barrel (90 Proof) | Straight Bourbon - Single Barrel | 45 % | Barrel (single barrel selection) | Single barrel release handpicked from the master distiller's favorites; released in limited spring and fall releases with signed neck label and an empty barrel for display use for accounts. | Limited; Very limited, account-specific distribution |
| Special Reserve Single Barrel (120 Proof) | Straight Bourbon - Single Barrel (120 proof) | Barrel (single barrel selection) | A stronger single barrel variant listed as 120 proof; shipped in very limited quantities with collector details for accounts. | Limited; Very limited | |
| Iron Smoke Rock The Barrel | Straight Bourbon (Cask Strength) | 60 % | Cask strength release hand-picked by John Petrucci from the distillery's barrels; listed as 120 proof (60% alc./vol.) and unfiltered. | Limited; Limited/limited online | |
| Rock The Barrel 2 | Special Release | The follow-up to the Rock The Barrel collaboration with John Petrucci, listed as a 93-proof release with new artwork and hand-signed bottles; first batch sold out quickly at release. | Limited; Limited online distribution (max 4 bottles per customer at release) | ||
| Double Oaked | Straight Bourbon (Double Oaked) | An extra-barrel release in Iron Smoke's portfolio; details about the barrel and ABV are given in the product list but not fully specified on the overview pages. | Current; Core range; Current/for sale | ||
| Pura Vida Hot Honey | Flavoured Whiskey | One of the flavored variants in the range, listed alongside other specialties. | Current; Core range; Available | ||
| GG Guice | Name of a listed release in the Iron Smoke portfolio (details found on product pages). | Current; Core range; Available | |||
| Iron Smoke Bottled in Bond (Batch Two) | Bottled in Bond | A 'Bottled in Bond' release in the lineup, listed as 'Batch Two' on the product pages. | Current; Core range | ||
| Rattlesnake Rosie's Apple Pie Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | 35 % | A sweet, dessert-inspired variant made with Iron Smoke corn whiskey and upstate New York apple cider as well as cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar; listed as 35% alc./vol. (70 proof). | Current; Core range; Available | |
| Rattlesnake Rosie's Maple Bacon Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | 35 % | Maple Bacon variant based on their core bourbon blended with upstate New York maple syrup and natural flavors; listed as 35% alc./vol. | Current; Core range; Available | |
| Rattlesnake Rosie's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Bourbon Cream | Bourbon Cream | 15 % | A cream-based dessert spirit with chocolate and peanut butter notes; shelf-stable and listed as 15% alc./vol. | Current; Core range; Available | |
| Rattlesnake Rosie's Pumpkin Pie Whiskey | Flavoured Whiskey | 35 % | Seasonal release with natural pumpkin and spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and vanilla); listed as 35% alc./vol. and marketed as an autumn experience. | Current; Core range; Available (seasonal offer highlighted around Halloween) | |
| Grandpa Joe's Manhattan | Cocktail / Spirit-based product | A ready-made cocktail release in the Iron Smoke portfolio listed among the products. | Current; Core range; Available |
Whiskey Style and Flavor Profile
Across the portfolio there is a clear applewood-smoked thread, especially in the core bourbon, supplemented by classic bourbon notes such as vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch, noted in the cask-strength releases. The aromatic specialties in the Rattlesnake Rosie line add fruity and spicy notes — apple, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg — that clearly steer the flavor direction in the dessert-inspired variants.
Visiting the Distillery
The public can visit Iron Smoke's Watering Room and Sideshow, which function as tastings rooms, bars, and event spaces. The Watering Room has set hours from Tuesday to Sunday, and live music and events are held in the Sideshow area. Bar tastings are offered with fixed pricing for flights on Thursdays–Sundays. Guided tours and tastings require advance booking; the distillery requests about one week's notice when booking. The tasting room does not hold reservations for standard bar seating. The venue can also be rented for private events and shows.
The posted hours are Watering Room: Tuesday 16:00–22:00; Wednesday 16:00–23:00; Thursday 16:00–23:00; Friday 16:00–24:00; Saturday 12:00–24:00; Sunday 14:00–19:00. Bar tasting items are offered Thursday–Sunday with a price list for flights.
See hours and book a visit.
Philosophy and Craft
Iron Smoke emphasizes craft, locally sourced ingredients, and careful selection of barrels as core values. There is a strong focus on small-batch production, hand-filling, and a craft-oriented emphasis on quality — values that are also highlighted in collaborations and product texts such as 'authenticity, perfection, mastery'.
Prices and Recognitions
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95.5 score (2018, 95.5)
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Media coverage (2019, Mentioned in '10 Best Bourbons Beyond Kentucky')