Oak and Grist Distilling Company
Overview of the Distillery
Oak and Grist is a grain-to-glass distillery in Asheville/Black Mountain, North Carolina, founded in 2015. They run the entire process—from locally grown and malted barley to mashing, fermenting, distilling, and aging—under one roof. They produce American single malts and genever-inspired gin as well as barrel-finished and single-barrel releases, and distinguish themselves through close collaboration with local farmers and a clear focus on showing how terroir and barrel types shape the spirits.
History
Established in 2015 with an ambition to create regionally inspired single malts, Oak and Grist has built its profile on the grain-to-glass principle and close collaboration with local farmers and suppliers. An important early influence was Edwin Dodson, whose experience from Scotland is described as formative for the distillery’s approach. From the outset, the distillery has combined Scottish traditions with Appalachian influences: they produce malt-based whiskies according to classical principles, but also experiment with American oak, barrel finishing, and small single-barrel releases. At the same time, they have expanded their profile to include genever-inspired gin, created by re-distilling whiskey together with a set of botanicals. The distillery’s social footprint includes support for local artisans and nonprofit organizations as an integrated part of the business.
Raw Materials and Production
Oak and Grist operates according to a grain-to-glass principle, starting with locally grown and locally malted barley. Whiskies labeled as Single Malt are made from 100% malted barley and produced and aged at the same distillery. The production includes mashing, fermentation, distillation, and aging internally, and the distillate is also used as the base for genever-inspired gin by re-distilling the whiskey together with eight selected botanicals. The distillery’s Malt Whisky is produced with American palates in mind and is aged both in new American oak and in used bourbon barrels. Part of their releases are presented as single-barrel releases, where each individual cask from the Rickhouse is allowed to show its own development. These processes give them the ability to control the entire value chain from grain to bottle and to experiment with cask choice and finish types.
Aging and Cask Types
For their Single Malt, Oak and Grist primarily uses used casks in line with Scottish traditions, which give the spirit character from previous cask contents rather than a heavy new char character. In addition, their Malt Whisky is aged in both new American oak and in used bourbon barrels, which helps shape the more oaky American expressions. The distillery also works with barrel finishing; a clear example is rum-cask finished releases, where former rum casks are used to impart additional fruit and spice levels without masking the malt’s own profile.
Whiskies
| Whisky | Type / Series | Age | Cask and Finish | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin - American Single Malt | American Single Malt | Used barrels and New American oak and used bourbon barrels | American single malt created from locally grown and malted barley. Produced as grain-to-glass at Oak and Grist and aged in used casks and/or new American oak depending on release. | Core range | |
| Descendent - American Single Malt | American Single Malt | New American oak and used bourbon barrels | American single malt in the distillery’s range; made from locally malted barley and part of Oak and Grist’s focus on regionally rooted malt whisky. | Core range | |
| Rum Cask Finished American Single Malt Whiskey | American Single Malt (rum cask finish) | Rum cask (finish); finish: Rum cask finished | An American single malt finished in rum casks to impart elements from previous rum aging while preserving the malt’s character. | ||
| 5-Year Single Barrel American Single Malt | American Single Malt (single barrel) | 5 Years | Single barrel (varying casks in the Rickhouse) | Single barrel series where each cask from the Rickhouse is presented as an independent 5-year release, showcasing the cask’s individual development. | Limited |
| Single Malt Whiskey | Single Malt Whiskey | Used barrels | The distillery’s Single Malt series, produced in accordance with Scottish standards and typically matured in used casks to highlight prior cask contents over the new oak character. | ||
| SMŌK | Name of a release in the distillery’s portfolio (details about process and age do not appear in the extracted texts). |
Whiskies’ Style and Flavor Profile
The bottles span a range of aroma and flavor profiles. The rum-cask finished releases are described as adding tropical fruit notes, brown sugar, and spice. Generally, an oaky character is noted, especially in their American Malt expression, and the malt’s sweetness is a recurring element across the whiskies. These directions — tropical fruit, brown sugar and caramel, and spice, as well as oak character — appear across different releases and finishing experiments.
Visit the Distillery
The distillery welcomes visitors via a 'Book Your Experience' page (powered by AnyRoad). Guests can take tours, tastings, and cocktails, and there are fixed opening hours: Mon–Thu 12–18, Fri and Sat 12–21, Sun closed. Tours and tastings are booked through the booking page, making it easy to plan a visit with a focus on both production and tasting experiences.
The stated hours are Mon–Thu 12:00–18:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–21:00, Sun closed.
See hours and book a visit.
Philosophy and Craft
Oak and Grist operate from a clear grain-to-glass principle and prioritize relationships with local farmers and suppliers. They emphasize making spirits from the ground up, communicating the production process transparently, and supporting local artisans and nonprofit organizations. Their approach blends respect for traditional whisky conventions with experiments in cask selection and finishes.
Latest News
The Story Behind Our Rum Cask Finished Whiskey: The Influence of Tropical Rum Cask on Appalachian Whiskey – 2026-06-24
An article about how Caribbean rum finishes influence the distillery’s Rum Cask Finished American Single Malt, and how the finish adds tropical fruit, brown sugar, and spice while preserving the malt’s character.
Inside the Barrel: Exploring Our 5-Year Single Barrel American Single Malt – 2026-04-02
A presentation of the 5-Year Single Barrel series, showing how each individual cask in the Rickhouse develops the spirit differently, and where the individual barrel is in focus.