Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt Whiskey 750ml

Hillrock is a true farm-to-glass distillery. At its estate in New York’s Hudson Valley, the barley is grown in the estate’s own fields, then steeped, floor-malted, smoked, and kilned by hand on site, which is rare in the United States, where few distilleries malt their own barley and fewer still floor-malt it. As one reviewer noted, “what makes this distillery unusual, at least in the USA, is that they are not just malting their own barley, they are floor malting it.” The only ingredient that doesn’t come from the estate is the peat, which is imported from Speyside, Scotland. The whisky is distilled in a custom-built 250-gallon copper pot still, matured in small oak casks, and, before bottling, finished in select sherry casks. The distillery was among the pioneering field-to-bottle distilleries in the Hudson Valley since Prohibition, and it was set up under Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, formerly of Maker’s Mark.

Hillrock describes its signature “terroir of cinnamon and clove, layered with caramel and vanilla,” while the peat-smoked expressions add “a complex, lingering smokiness with notes of tobacco, leather and campfire.” The distillery’s tasting notes describe a honey-amber whiskey with a nose of “clove, anise, nutmeg and cinnamon,” plus “maple syrup, caramel, and vanilla”; a palate of “lots of clove and cinnamon,” “pumpkin pie spices,” and “slight caramel”; and a “crisp and dry” finish that is “still spicy, yet sweet.” Bottlings are barrel-numbered and vary by barrel and harvest, so the details shift a little from bottle to bottle.

Reviewers have found a lot to like. Wine Enthusiast scored an earlier release 97, describing “bold smoky-sweet campfire notes” leading “into toffee, chocolate and espresso before drying to a gentle exhale of smoke.” Distiller’s expert scored it 90, finding that “the maltiness of the barley is the most noticeable trait on first taste, like pumpernickel bread,” with “toasted caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and cedar” and “a pleasant heat somewhat akin to a bourbon or rye.” The Whiskey Wash called it “a very solid example of an American single malt,” with “gingerbread, coffee, baking spices, black licorice, baked bread, ginger, vanilla wafers, brown sugar” and “a very light hint of smoke,” leaning toward “a dessert style whiskey, perhaps best enjoyed after dinner.” Opinions aren’t unanimous. A second Whiskey Wash reviewer who was new to peated whiskey scored it 79, finding the nose dominated by white pepper, though he called the palate “smooth and decent” with “a pleasant finish,” and Dramface gave it 5 out of 10, “average, in a good way,” while still finding “a very pleasant nose that was inviting and without any alcohol burn.” Another visitor described it as “lightly sweet, with notes of spices and leather,” and not “the extreme campfire notes that keep away the peat haters.” This is a rich, spicy, gently smoky American single malt with a story you can tell, and a real alternative to Scotch for customers curious about American malt.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt Whiskey is produced at Hillrock Estate Distillery in New York’s Hudson Valley. The barley is grown on the estate, then steeped, floor-malted, smoked (with imported Speyside peat), and kilned by hand, then mashed, fermented, and distilled in a custom-built 250-gallon copper pot still. It is matured in oak casks no larger than 700 liters, including some ex-sherry, with a final finish in select sherry casks, and bottled by barrel. Age statements vary by barrel (no less than four years). Recent bottlings are 48.2% ABV / 96.4 proof, 750ml.

Critics Reviews

Wine Enthusiast — 97 Points (earlier release):
“This bold and flavorful sipping whiskey is made from New York State-grown malt smoked for eight hours over Scottish peat... Bold smoky-sweet campfire notes lead into toffee, chocolate and espresso before drying to a gentle exhale of smoke.”

Distiller (expert review) — 90 Points; community rating 4.12/5:
“The maltiness of the barley is the most noticeable trait on first taste, like pumpernickel bread. Then toasted caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and cedar join the party. Finishes with a pleasant heat somewhat akin to a bourbon or rye, with a slight leatheriness.”

The Whiskey Wash (2019 release):
“Gingerbread, coffee, baking spices, black licorice, baked bread, ginger, vanilla wafers, brown sugar. A very light hint of smoke... The Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt is a very solid example of an American single malt that is made using traditional whiskey making practices. This trends more towards a dessert style whiskey, perhaps best enjoyed after dinner alongside a favorite treat.”

The Whiskey Wash (second review) — 79/100:
“Nose: A faint citrusy note... against a backdrop of smoke... touch of warm spice... almost overwhelming white pepper aroma. Finish: Long, smooth, and warm, with oak and... more white pepper.”

Dramface — 5/10:
“The initial impression on the nose was of baking spices — cinnamon, allspice — with malt and a hint of orange in the background. There was also some sweet caramel lingering. A very pleasant nose that was inviting and without any alcohol burn.”

Hillrock (official tasting notes):
“Color: Honey Amber. Nose: Spicy with hints of clove, anise, nutmeg and cinnamon. Also maple syrup, caramel, and vanilla. Taste: Lots of clove and cinnamon. Pumpkin pie spices. Slight caramel. Finish: Crisp and dry. Still spicy, yet sweet.”

Tasting Profile

Nose
Honey amber. Clove, anise, nutmeg, and cinnamon lead, with maple syrup, caramel, vanilla, and a hint of peat smoke.

Palate
Malty, like pumpernickel bread, with toasted caramel, cinnamon, clove, and pumpkin pie spices, and notes of leather and cedar.

Finish
Crisp and dry, still spicy yet sweet, with a gentle exhale of smoke and a slight heat.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Dark chocolate
• Pumpkin or gingerbread desserts
• Aged cheese
• Roasted nuts

Serving Note

Best neat or with a few drops of water.