Death's Door White Whisky

Legend suggests that in the 18th century, a party of 300 members of the Potowatami and Winnebego tribes were trying to cross the waters between Washington Island — located about seven miles from what is now Door County, Wisconsin in the waters of Lake Michigan — and the Wisconsin mainland. The tribesmen were struck by a sudden storm and perished. Years later, the waters that entombed the Native Americans were nicknamed "Death's Door."

Today Washington Island (population 700) is the heart and soul of everything produced by Death's Door Distillery. The 22 square-mile island boasts miles of beautiful, uninterrupted shoreline, protected coves and inlets and a 1,200 acre organically-certified farm that produces two varieties of hard, red winter wheat — Harvard and Carlisle — that are exclusive to Washington Island.

Death's Door White Whisky is made from a mash of 80% organic, hard red winter wheat sourced from Washington Island and 20% organic malted barley sourced from Chilton, Wisconsin. After the ingredients are brought to Death's Door Distillery in Middleton, Wisconsin, John Jeffrey, Death Door's master distiller, double-ferments and double-distills the whisky by hand.

Jeffrey, a graduate of the Artisan Spirits Distilling Program, received his Masters of Science Degree in Food Science from Michigan State University where his research focused on barrel aging dynamics, fermentation optimization, yeast byproducts and other fermentation and distillation processes.

After double-distilling the white whisky inside a 90-gallon copper-pot still and giving the spent mash to local hog and dairy farms to be used as feed, Jeffrey rests the whisky inside stainless steel casks before finishing it in uncharred Minnesota oak barrels. The oak barrels round out the notes of light vanilla, wheat, cereal and malt in the whisky. In addition, they give the whisky an aroma of tequila and citrus. Still, it's the mashbill of hard, red winter wheat that gives Death's Door White Whisky its unique flavor profile. After finishing the whisky in the oak barrels, Jeffrey fills and labels each bottle by hand.

Avoid the fate of the Death's Door by picking up a bottle today!