Whether or not Little Rock's Rock Town Distillery was the state's first distilling operation since Prohibition when it opened in 2010 depends on how you look at it. Ed Ward was in his 80s when he obtained a license to produce his Uncle Ed's Arkansas Moonshine in Newport in 2010. And his Uncle Ed's Arkansas Moonshine may have beat Rock Town's first batch to market. It might have obtained permits from the state first.
But Rock Town proprietor Phil Brandon got his federal distilled spirits plant permit first. Brandon says he received his on May 3, 2010, and that he thinks he beat Ward by "a couple of months." The Rock Town permit is DSP-AR-15001. Arkansas Moonshine's is DSP-AR-15002.
In any case, the point is moot, for Ward, who has been a car dealer in Flint, Mich., and owned a string of car title pawn shops, was really more an irascible businessman than a dedicated draft distiller. He got into the hooch business after he read a story in a Virginia newspaper about moonshine selling for $20 a jar in liquor stores. He realized he could make his product for $5 or $6 a gallon, which would make it extremely popular even if the state and federal government got a cut.
After Ward died in November 2010, Arkansas Moonshine was sold to another startup distillery. The product's continued existence is kind of a metaphysical question. Meanwhile Rock Town occupies a 15,000-square-foot warehouse east of Interstate 30 and south of Heifer Village in Little Rock. You can visit the distillery and take a tour, and help out with the bottling and labeling. You can find its products in stores.
Rock Town's survival fits in with the odds numbers by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which show that half of all small businesses fail before they reach 5 years old. (Only about a third survive 10 years or more, and after that, the probability of survival increases with a firm's age. Though you may have heard certain politicians assert that nine out of 10 startups fail, there seems to be no real statistical basis for the claim. On the other hand, if you push the time frame out far enough, you could support the contention that 100 percent of all businesses fail.)
So Rock Town's fifth anniversary is worthy of celebration. The business story is interesting: Brandon was laid off from his corporate job and took a leap. A self-professed "whiskey geek," he decided his was a passion worth pursuing.
While things have not always gone smoothly for the distillery (the first batch of Brandon's vodka and gin weren't great) it has introduced a number of highly distinctive premium spirits that can stand with the world's best. Its cask strength Arkansas Single Barrel Reserve was named American Micro Whiskey of the Year for 2015 by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible. (It's also one of my favorite bourbons.)
"We believe that whiskey derives its flavor from the place from which it comes and from the passion of the people that produce it," Brandon said. "Our place is Arkansas, where we source locally grown grains from farmers we know to produce world-class spirits for all to enjoy. Our passion is for our whiskey and we are dedicated to excellence and exceeding our customers' expectations with every sip."
Rock Town's products are distributed in 15 states and the United Kingdom. More importantly, Brandon says they're selling all the whiskey they can produce.
To commemorate the fifth anniversary, Brandon released 963 bottles of 4-year-old 100-proof bourbon. It sold out quickly. He also released a few hundred bottles of 3-year-old bourbon (expect another batch in October).
Rock Town produces Rock Town Arkansas Rye ($45), made from rye grown in northeast Arkansas. It's a 100 percent rye whiskey, which means no other grains are blended in to soften the robustness of the rye (in America, to be called "rye" whiskey the mash bill, or grain mixture, need be only 51 percent rye). It's an eye-opener for those used to a smoother product.
That's one of the great strengths about the Rock Town line -- its products have distinct flavor profiles. You might not like some of them, but they don't taste like they've been focus-grouped and taste-tested into bland mediocrity.
"That's the great thing about whiskeys," Brandon says. "They don't all taste the same. The locality plays into flavor development and our use of local grains definitely plays into it as well. We strive to produce the best whiskey we can and the ratings and awards have shown we make some darn good stuff."
Rock Town's current best-seller is its popularly priced Rock Town Vodka (about $12), a corn-based vodka that's distilled six times. Unlike more ultra-premium vodkas, which seem to aspire to tastelessness, there is a lively, nearly citrus tang to the spirit that gives way to a smooth, earthy finish. It's a great house vodka that works well straight or in a martini or with a splash of limoncello. (Brandon says the more expensive wheat-based Brandon's vodka has been retired.)
While the whiskey-making business may seem romantic, the actual production is only part of the business. In some respects, the marketing of the product is even more important than the production. While Brandon's actually makes all its whiskey and other spirits, a lot of "distillers" are really in the business of slapping labels on bourbon they've sourced from other distillers.
Brandon says when he started Rock Town there were 200 craft distilleries in the United States. Now there are more than 600. In five years, Rock Town has overcome a shaky start and established itself as a serious and innovative player in a competitive field.
There are rumors that Brandon would like to produce a spirit along the lines of Scotch, an Arkansas malt whisky (note the spelling: "whisky" without the "e" in line with Scottish convention).
"My farmer in Weiner grew barley in 2014 [and this year] and we're working on building a climate-controlled floor malting room," Brandon says. "We've already built the dryer, but it's too hot to 'floor' malt in the warehouse this time of year. As soon as we get that together we'll use the Arkansas barley we've grown so far, malt it ourselves and distill it into a true Arkansas single-malt whisky."
Email:
pmartin@arkansasonline.com
Style on 07/19/2015