Hudson picked up top medal wins for its bourbons at the recent 2014 World Whisky Masters. The Hudson Manhattan Rye received the coveted Master award in the American Rye non-age statement category, while Hudson Baby Bourbon took a silver medal in the Bourbon up-to-six-years-old division. Quite the achievement, if you consider their humble origins, but yet unsurprising, given their reputation these couple of years.
FYI: Tuthilltown Distillery is the first (after Prohibition) in New York State, while Kings County Distillery is the first (after Prohibition) in New York City.
Hudson Whiskey was started only in 2004 by Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee, who had absolutely no prior distilling experience. They simply decided that it was time to make whiskey in New York again, rolled up their sleeves and set up the Tuthilltown Distillery themselves, including all steam, electrical, and construction work. They then learned how to make whiskey by visiting small distilleries around the US and Europe.
Hudson Co-founder Ralph Erenzo said, “We are really proud of our achievements at the World Whisky Masters. When we starting making Hudson we had no experience of distilling, we built the distillery ourselves and started from scratch using traditional methods. We know we make a unique brand of whiskeys so it’s great that Hudson is being recognised by our peers from the drink’s industry.”
As with ‘hand craft’ creations, no two bottles of Hudson whiskey are ever exactly the same (not that they set out to achieve that), as all the bottles are handmade and numbered.
While not officially distributed in Singapore as of yet – it will be making its way here in the last Quarter of 2014 – you can still find them at La Maison Du Whisky. The Baby Bourbon goes for S$112, while the Manhattan Rye goes for S$121.
Official Tasting Notes
Official notes Vibrantly bold, spicy and backwoods rustic, with a smidgen of honey and coconut. S$121 from La Maison Du Whisky.
Official notes Expressively woody, superbly smoky, with mellow notes of vanilla and caramel. S$112 from La Maison Du Whisky.
