Dancing Goat Distillery
About the Distillery
Dancing Goat Distillery is located in Cambridge, Wisconsin, and is a family-owned project that combines a substantial stock of sourced whiskey with a strong blending- and finish-oriented approach. The Dancing Goat Presents series releases verticals, one-offs, and experiments from a warehouse of several thousand barrels, while its own distillates are allowed to mature.
History
The Maas family story begins in the late 19th century with a family estate in northern Wisconsin. One generation moved from farming to the lumber industry and on to technical education. Duane Maas pursued a career as an engineer and plant manager, working, among other things, with filling bourbon barrels in Owensboro, Kentucky; he participated in the establishment of several distilleries internationally. Tom Maas worked in sales and marketing within spirits and later started a bottling company with his father. Nick Brady Maas has continued the project as a family-built distillery to honor the craft and educate others, and parts of the family and former colleagues have contributed to realizing the Dancing Goat project after Duane's death in 2016.
Raw materials and production
Dancing Goat primarily works with sourced whiskey stocks: the company has built a stock of around 4,500 barrels with different mashbills and ages, which are blended into small blends and vertical releases. The grains used in the publicly released releases include corn, rye, and several types of malt. The production approach is centered on sourcing, blending, and targeted finishes rather than a fixed standardized core production; once-used bourbon barrels often form the base, and finishes in wine- and bitters-barrels are used systematically to achieve the desired aroma and tannin structures. In parallel with the sourced releases, the distillery's own distillates are allowed to mature, with a view to future releases.
Maturation and barrel types
Many releases start in once-used bourbon barrels and subsequently receive finishes in a range of special casks. Port and Petit Syrah casks are used to add vinous sweetness and tannin, cherry- and chocolate-bitters casks to fruit and chocolate notes, while new Spanish oak is used to give a pronounced tannin structure. The distillery also experiments with less common oak types such as Quercus humboldtii to explore alternative wood profiles.
The Whiskeys
The core of the releases is Dancing Goat Presents, a multi-year series consisting of multiple mashbills and vertical releases. The series ranges from rye-based blends and corn/corn-based whiskeys to straight bourbon and light/malt components with age statements from about 6 years up to 21 years. Each release is typically a small-batch blend or a one-off, characterized by deliberate finish choices rather than a traditional fixed core range.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Age | Barrel and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very Old Goat (Release 001) | Light whiskey; Dancing Goat Presents | 21 years | Once-used bourbon barrels | Light whiskey aged 21 years, bottled at 126.4 proof, unfiltered. Notes of wood, caramel, honey, pepper, and light fruit. Nose: Syrupy-sweet oak, toasty oak, robust caramel, honey, pepper and hints of fruit | SOLD OUT |
| I Would Rye 4 U (Release 002) | Whiskey from a rye mash; Dancing Goat Presents | 7 years (six-barrel blend aged 6.5 years, finished 6 months) | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in Petit Syrah (Port) barrels; finish: Finished 6 months in freshly dumped Petit Syrah port wine barrels | Six-barrel rye blend, finished in Petit Syrah/Port casks; highlights berries, vinous sweetness, and American oak character. Nose: Jammy sugared berries, sweet American oak tannin, acidic winey caramel, vanilla and hints of allspice & nutmeg | SOLD OUT |
| A Quirky & Humble Blend (Release 003) | Straight bourbon; Dancing Goat Presents | 7 years | Quercus humboldtii (Colombian oak); finish: Aged in Quercus humboldtii | Straight bourbon at seven years with the use of Quercus humboldtii (Colombian oak) as a distinctive cask type. Nose: Crème brûlée, mixed dried fruit, vanilla, caramel and sweet tannin; Finish: Long, fruity and spicy with creamy cacao notes | |
| Maized & Confused (Release 004) | Corn whiskey (finished); Dancing Goat Presents | 8 years and 7 months | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in cherry bitters barrels; finish: Finished 5 months in cherry bitters barrels | Corn whiskey blend finished in cherry bitters casks; aromas of cherry and warm spices are prominent. Nose: Cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, crème brûlée and vanilla; Taste: Cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and light vinous acidity | SOLD OUT; DISTILLERY EXCLUSIVE |
| tommy’s malted bangdog (Release 005) | Blend (bourbon + malt whiskey); Dancing Goat Presents | 8 years | Once-used bourbon barrels | A composed blend between bourbon and malt whiskey; the malt sweetness meets the bourbon's spicy profile. Nose: Roasted and charred oak, dark cacao, toasted marshmallow, robust caramel and faint banana; Taste: Spicy, creamy mouthfeel with cola, light caramel and cacao tones | SOLD OUT |
| In Lieu Of Flowers (Release 006) | Blend (light whiskey + bourbon); Dancing Goat Presents | Blend of 16-year light whiskey and 6-month bourbon, barreled together in a used cask for 8 years | Used cask (barreled together); finish: Barreled together in a used cask for 8 years | A blend where substantial aging is combined with shorter bourbon to create depth; bottled at 133 proof. Nose: Toasted and sweet oak, caramel, light baking spices, red berries, cream and cocoa powder; Taste: Creamy honey, wood tannin, syrup-sweet oak and hints of espresso; Finish: Long, silky and engaging | SOLD OUT |
| The Spaniard (Release 007) | Corn whiskey (finished in Spanish oak); Dancing Goat Presents | 9 years | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in Spanish oak; finish: Finished 16 months in Spanish oak | Corn whiskey based on bourbon barrels and finished with a longer finish in Spanish oak for tannin structure and dried fruit notes. Nose: Toasted oak with hints of red berries, deep baking spices, leather and dried tobacco; Taste: Fruit, toasted oak, caramel, a touch of orange zest, and rich cream; Finish: Long and seductive with cherry-cola notes | SOLD OUT |
| I Would Rye 4 U (Release 008) | Whiskey from a rye mash; Dancing Goat Presents | 9 years (8.5 years base, finished 4-16 months) | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in port barrels; finish: Finished 4-16 months in freshly dumped port barrels | Rye blend where port finish adds sweetness and vinous tannin structure. Nose: Toasted and sweet oak, red berries, Concord grape juice, baking spices and vinous tart caramel; Finish: Warming finish with hints of strawberry- and raspberry-syrup | SOLD OUT |
| swiss misters (Release 009) | Whiskey from a rye mash; Dancing Goat Presents | 10 years | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in chocolate bitters barrels; finish: Finished 6 months in freshly dumped chocolate bitters barrels | A rye-blend finished in chocolate/bitters cask for intense cacao- and cream notes. Nose: Sweet milk chocolate, dutched cacao, vanilla, cream, honey and nougat on a base of rye-bake spices; Taste: Predominantly chocolatey with creamy cacao and caramel in a long finish | SOLD OUT |
| The Spaniard (Release 010) | Corn whiskey (finished in Spanish oak); Dancing Goat Presents | 10 years | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in new Spanish oak; finish: Finished for over a year in new Spanish oak | Corn whiskey where finishing in new Spanish oak gives stronger tannins and a dry finish combined with dark fruit notes. Nose: Sweet cola, baking spices and toasted wood; Taste: Starts sweet and dries out mid-mouth with tannin and raisin/fig notes | BUY NOW |
| Maized & Confused (Release 011) | Corn whiskey (finished); Dancing Goat Presents | 10 years and 7 months | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in cherry bitters barrels; finish: Finished 5 months in cherry bitters barrels | A small blend with cherry-bitters finish, centered around warm spices and cherries. Nose: Cherry, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, crème brûlée and vanilla; Taste: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cherry, sugar and a light vinous acidity; Finish: Long, silky finish | |
| I Would Rye 4 U (Release 012) | Whiskey from a rye mash; Dancing Goat Presents | 11 years (eight-barrel blend aged 10 years, bottled at 102.6 proof) | Once-used bourbon barrels -> finished in port barrels; finish: Finished 4-16 months in freshly dumped port barrels | An eight-barrel rye whiskey blend finished in port casks to add vinous sweetness and tannin structure. Nose: Sweet red wine, syrupy caramel, creamy fruit notes of berries and cherries, and robust tannin; Finish: Long finish with vinous wood notes | BUY NOW |
The Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profile
The releases span several directions: vinous berry notes from port- and Petit Syrah finishes, spicy baking spices from rye- and bourbon-based profiles, and chocolate- and creamy tones from chocolate/bitters finishes. Recurrent elements include sweet American oak, vanilla, and caramel, as well as tannins from Spanish oak and port finishes.
Philosophy and Craft
Dancing Goat describes itself as a celebration of craft and intentionality in spirits production. The values include respect for the journey of the grain from field to bottle, integrity in the supply chain, collaboration with passionate partners, and a focus on education and community. Production and products are created with care and a personal, family-rooted approach.