History

Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile was founded in Tamworth, New Hampshire, and is run by Steven Grasse. According to our history, we draw inspiration from New England and follow a garden-to-glass approach, where ingredients are sourced from the environment around us, local farms, our own garden and the wilderness. We describe a scratch-made ethos, where each spirit reflects local ingredients, house-malted grain, pure White Mountain water, herbs and botanicals from the forest and the garden, as well as local fruits and vegetables. We have a 250-gallon copper still built by Vendome in Kentucky, and the water comes from Ossipee Stratified Aquifer, one of the cleanest sources on the East Coast and located on granite bedrock, which makes it hard to frack. Each bottle is washed, filled and labeled by hand in Tamworth. Our design and innovations process takes place in our own distillery test kitchen, where we research and experiment to drive creativity. The Garden to Glass concept emphasizes the use of ingredients from the local community or our own garden and foraging in the surrounding wilderness.

Production / Manufacturing

We work with a 250-gallon copper still, which is custom-built by Vendome in Kentucky and equipped with a range of components (barrel-head cap, whiskey column, gin basket and rectifying column), giving us flexibility to produce different products and change batches with the seasons. The water for the distillate comes from the Ossipee Stratified Aquifer, one of the cleanest sources along the coast and located on granite bedrock, which also contributes to the purity of our spirits. An important part of our range is Tamworth Garden XO Apple Brandy. The process starts with Cortland apples from Carter Hill Apple Orchard in Concord, NH. The juice is pressed later in the season, stored in a fermented cider, distilled twice in a traditional alembic still in the French Calvados style with rich lees for longer aging and a thick flavor. The distillate is temporarily aged in new American oak and then transferred to a French oak barrel that previously held California Zinfandel, for the entire maturation in our bonded barrelhouse. This distillation and aging process follows the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 and the XO brand classifications, and the result is an apple brandy substantially free of added colorants or younger brandies. XO shows a deep amber color and complex notes of spiced apple, orange and cake spices. Old Man of the Mountain Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is a single-edition bourbon that follows the Bottled-in-Bond Act. It consists of 82.4% corn, 11% rye and 6.6% malted barley, fermented as a traditional sour mash and aged in #3 char, 53-gallon casks in Kentucky, for four years at 100 proof. The distillate is kept in an organic setup and yields notes of vanilla and caramel, with warmth and a hint of fruitcake; the finish is piquant with black pepper and cherry. House of Tamworth Spruce & Goose Whiskey is a whiskey featuring hand-picked spruce and locally sourced distillates blended with dried plums and a two-year bourbon distillate, without artificial additives; it combines the spruce’s pine notes with fruit and smoke. Graverobber Unholy Rye Whiskey and Old Hampshire White Mountain Single Malt Whiskey are two other products in our range; specific details about their production are not explicitly provided in the available content, but they are noted as part of our whiskey lineup. We also work with The Deerslayer Venison Whiskey, a whiskey infused with venison and accompanying forest flavors.

Products / Whiskey Series

• Chocorua Straight Rye Whiskey Aged 8 Years: An 8-year-old rye in the Rare Casks series; nose with warm, sweet honey fragrance; palate of ginger and buckwheat honey, balanced by a peppery kick and a finish reminiscent of maple syrup.
• The Old Man Of The Mountain Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon: A four-year-old bourbon at 100 proof, followed by classic vanilla and caramel notes plus warm fruitcake; finish with piquant pepper and cherry.
• House of Tamworth Spruce & Goose Whiskey: A whiskey featuring hand-picked spruce and goose distillates blended with dried plums and a two-year bourbon distillate, without artificial additives; combines the spruce’s pine notes with fruit and smoke.
• Graverobber Unholy Rye Whiskey: A production in the lineup; further details not specified in the available content.
• Old Hampshire White Mountain Single Malt Whiskey: Mentioned as part of the lineup; details of production not provided.
• The Deerslayer Venison Flavored Whiskey: A whiskey infused with venison and local forest flavors; details about distillation are not specified in the available content.

Visits / Experiences

Tamworth Distilling offers tours, tasting flights and retail in Tamworth, NH. Visiting hours are Thursday to Sunday from 12:00–17:00 (current listing on the Visit page). We also offer Custom Cocktail Kits and The Cocktail Workshop - Art in the Age, Private Cocktail Classes, Private Group Tastings and Signature Cocktail Consultations. There are also wedding and corporate events with the option for mobile bars through Lake Libations, as well as gifts such as Tasting Cards.

Philosophy

Our philosophy is Garden to Glass: ingredients from local farms or our own backyard and botanical gardens, as well as foraging in the New Hampshire wilderness for flavor components, and Ossipee Stratified Aquifer water as the source of our spirits. We use a 250-gallon copper still and handmade production, where every bottle is hand-washed, filled and labeled in Tamworth. Our design process is thorough and includes months-long research and an in-house kitchen for experimental products and innovation. We prioritize local production, sustainability and a deep connection between distilling, agriculture and the community around Tamworth.