Montgomery Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
Montgomery Distillery is a family-owned Montana distillery with roots going back five generations. They tie production closely to a 200-acre farm in Heath, where they grow rye and wheat, and they produce small-batch rye, single malt, and other spirit expressions in an artisan stillroom in Missoula. The combination of their own grain supply, a Christian Carl combination still, and experiments with finishes makes the place interesting for whiskey enthusiasts.
History
The Heath farm has belonged to the family for nearly 90 years and has provided the distillery's raw materials from land and water. Distillers Chad Larrabee and Christopher Conley have led the still room since 2012 and have continually developed spirits, matured experimental casks, and built a maturation program that includes both rye, single malt, and cask experiments. In 2019, the distillery's single malt was internationally recognized with a Gold Outstanding medal at Whiskies of the World, marking an important quality testament to the craft approach.
Raw materials and production
The process starts at the farm, where rye and wheat are grown for their own use. The grain is milled and used in the mash, which ferments before distillation. The distillery uses a 450-liter Christian Carl combination pot/column still; when whiskey is produced, it is used as a traditional pot/batch still, while the 21-plate column also makes it possible to run column distillation for other products. This flexibility also allows production of vodka, gin, and aquavit as well as small-batch whiskies. Montgomery practices small-batch craftsmanship from grain to bottle and actively experiments with both peated expressions and different cask finishes.
Maturation and barrel types
The distillery's maturation program includes standard bourbon maturation, a three-year rye, and a five-year single malt, as well as a range of finish experiments. They work with Oloroso sherry finishes on both single malt and rye, use cognac casks and Sauternes casks for special caskings, and also have peated expressions in storage. These different cask types are central to varying the whiskies without using new product concept names.
Whiskies
The range spans from 100% rye expressions to single malts, both standard-aged and cask-finished variants. Sudden Wisdom is explicitly mentioned as a 100% rye, and the distillery runs a single malt that has gained international recognition. Additionally, 3- and 5-year expressions as well as sherry, cognac, and Sauternes finishes and peated expressions are part of the overall offering and maturation program.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Age | Barrel and Style | Taste Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudden Wisdom | Rye | Sudden Wisdom is made from 100% rye, grown, milled, fermented and distilled on their own farm. | Core range | ||
| Single Malt Whiskey | Single Malt | Montgomery's single malt, highlighted as a signature release and internationally recognized. | Core range | ||
| Three-Year Rye | Rye | 3 years | Standard maturation (not specified) | A three-year rye mentioned as part of the distillery's maturation program. | |
| Five-Year Single Malt | Single Malt | 5 years | A five-year single malt directly referenced in the distillery's maturation program. | ||
| Oloroso Sherry-Finished Single Malt | Single Malt | Oloroso sherry casks; finish: Sherry finish | Single malt with Oloroso sherry finish as noted in the maturation program. | Limited | |
| Oloroso Sherry-Finished Rye | Rye | Oloroso sherry casks; finish: Sherry finish | Rye with Oloroso sherry finish noted as part of the storage program experiments. | Limited | |
| Peated Expression | Single Malt | Smoked/Peated | Peated expression is mentioned as part of the distillery's range and maturation program. | ||
| Cognac Cask-Finished Whisky | Finished whiskies | Cognac casks; finish: Cognac casking used in experiments | Whiskies aged or finished in cognac casks as part of the distillery's cask experiments. |
The whiskies' style and flavor profile
Across the products there are recurring notes of spices and dried fruit as well as pronounced oak influence. The descriptions include spices such as cinnamon and ground pepper, dried fruit and apple tones, and clear toast and oak nuances from finishes like Oloroso and other sweet casks. These three directions — dried fruit, spice, and oak — outline the overall style of the whiskies.
Distillery visit
The distillery's tasting room in Missoula is open to visitors with daily hours (Monday-Saturday 12–20, Sunday 14–19 according to contact details). Guests can taste samples, order cocktails from the seasonal menu, and reserve areas such as Caribou Corner for private gatherings. Due to staffing challenges, guided tours in the still room are temporarily paused; the tasting experience in the bar remains available. Contact the distillery by phone or email for reservations and special inquiries.
The stated hours are Mon-Sat 12:00-20:00, Sunday 14:00-19:00.
Philosophy and Craft
Montgomery combines family tradition and local raw-material control with small-batch craftsmanship. They cultivate and mill their own grain, use an artisan still for maximum flexibility, and actively work with barrel experiments to create variation in their whiskies and other spirits.
Awards and Recognitions
- Gold Outstanding (2019, Gold Outstanding, Single Malt Whiskey)