I am not a whiskey drinker but this was in the local paper today:
SPIRITS ALBUQUERQUE
FLYING HIGH
Taylor Garrett Whiskey celebrates its five-year anniversary, award-winning Old Fashioned
BY TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD FOR THE JOURNAL
As a commercial airline pilot (and retired Naval aviator), Scott Feuille is well-versed in reaching a destination in rapid fashion. The process of producing a quality whiskey typically requires more time and patience. However, in a relatively short period, Feuille has been able to change the perception of what it means to make a great-tasting spirit.
Taylor Garrett Whiskey, which is named for Feuille’s kids and recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, is billed by its founder as a “traditionally distilled, innovatively aged” alcoholic beverage. On the back of a Taylor Garrett bottle, it says “aged 737 minutes” — though according to Feuille, the aging process is closer to 96 hours. Either way, it’s accomplished far quicker than a traditionally-aged spirit.
“Most of the feedback that we get is that this is a really smooth, good product,” Feuille said. “But when they hear that it’s aged 96 hours, they’re incredulous. They just can’t believe it. And they say, ‘Wow, that doesn’t taste like a young whiskey.’” Taylor Garrett was able to explore the science of aging whiskey thanks to a grant from the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program.
“The basis of our aging is a technological process, but there’s no additives,” Feuille said. “Everything that happens during the natural process is happening — it just happens at a much faster rate. So it gives us, in the most layman terms, a four- to eight-year equivalent whiskey in about 96 hours. So that is really what allows us to offer the product at a lower price point. It is a quality product, and we’ve got the laboratory results that show that on a very objective scale.”
Feuille acknowledges that whiskey preference, especially with so many brands available, can vary. But there are also elements that are consistently found in all spirits.
“Obviously, any artistic endeavor is very subjective … The objective part of that is there are certain chemical compounds that are in whiskeys that are common across the board. There are desirable compounds. There are more undesirable compounds,” he said. “We can do an objective analysis and compare what’s in a top brand, what’s in a 48-year aged commercial whiskey, and do a comparison across the board of what those molecules and what those chemical compounds are in our whiskey, and in their whiskey.”
In addition to its bourbon and rye offerings, Taylor Garrett also sells a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned. This blend recently scored 94 points at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, which made it the top-scoring Old Fashioned in its category — notably ahead of industry giant Bulleit. “That was a big win for us and, obviously, a big win for New Mexico. I was president of the Distillers Guild for a couple of years, and we’ve got a vibrant distilling scene in New Mexico. We’re starting to see a lot of New Mexico spirits perform very well on the national stage.
In addition to its bourbon and rye offerings, Taylor Garrett also sells a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned. COUR TESY
Scott Feuille
“…. Any time you go up against the big boys in Kentucky and you come out on top, that’s kind of a cool feeling to know that you’re doing it right.”
Taylor Garrett got its start a little more than a month before the COVID pandemic shutdown hit in earnest, and it enjoyed a relaunch of sorts this past August. Over the years, the brand has gradually established more of a retail foothold throughout the state. In the future, Feuille can envision adding a tasting room presence as well as more seasonal cocktail releases. For now, the focus is on the primary offerings.
“Over the course of five years, we’ve leaned down, refocused on just our core products and are pushing those out at a higher quality and a lower price point than we were when we first launched,” Feuille said. “So that’s a nice offering for the public, and we’re happy to be able to do that and have a viable business.”
TAYLOR GARRETT WHISKEY
MORE INFO: taylorgarrettwhiskey.com
. But they also have a fantastic aquarium in Springfield if you need some reasons to justify a trip there.
