New Liberty Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
New Liberty Distillery is housed in a preserved stable building in North Philadelphia, combining production with a bottle shop and lounge. The site operates in parallel with a Heritage Collection that reinterprets historic Pennsylvania brands, and its own whiskies crafted with local ingredients. Master distiller Robert Cassell is responsible for developing the recipes and flavor profiles, and the distillery presents itself as a local gathering point for production, tastings and cocktails.
History
The distillery's identity is closely tied to both local history and contemporary artisanal production. The building has previously functioned as a stable, and many original details such as horse stalls are preserved and incorporated into the public space. In parallel, New Liberty has established a Heritage Collection with the ambition of reinterpretating brands that historically made Pennsylvania famous. Master distiller Robert Cassell is identified as responsible for creating the distillery's whiskies, which are based on regional ingredients. In 2024 the distillery appears active with public presence, address and contact details documented on their pages.
Raw Materials and Production
New Liberty describes its work as a craft whiskey project, distilling several whiskey styles, including malt, bourbon and rye. Recipes and flavor profiles are developed under the leadership of master distiller Robert Cassell, and the site explicitly draws on local Pennsylvania ingredients as an important starting point. The production is integrated with the public offerings: the bottle shop, lounge and tastings are located close to the production spaces, so guests experience the connection between raw materials, distillation and serving. A concrete example of production choices is the use of regional casks and wood in aging certain releases, which is a deliberate strategy to highlight regional character in the final product.
Maturation and Cask Types
New Liberty uses regional casks in its aging work. The Bloody Butcher release is aged exclusively in Pennsylvanian American White Oak casks from Tonnellerie Nadalie, charred with medium toast/char. The site explains that the wood's origin in Western Pennsylvania and soil variations contribute mineral and spicy characteristics as well as a complex aromatic profile. The choice of locally oven-made casks is used deliberately as a tool to shape aroma and structure in selected bottles.
Whiskies
The portfolio consists of two parallel tracks: a Heritage Collection, where historic Pennsylvania brands are reinterpreted, and the distillery's own releases, which emphasize regional ingredients and the master distiller's recipes. A concrete product is the limited Bloody Butcher 100% PA Cask Strength Bourbon, aged in Pennsylvanian white oak. In addition to this limited cask strength release, the distillery communicates that it will produce malt, bourbon and rye as part of its range, while details about a full core lineup and age statements are provided as separate product information.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloody Butcher 100% PA Cask Strength Bourbon | Bourbon | 55.25 % | Pennsylvanian American White Oak (Tonnellerie Nadalie) | Limited cask-strength bourbon aged exclusively in Pennsylvanian American White Oak casks from Tonnellerie Nadalie. The product text highlights influences from local soil and wood, including minerality, spice, moderate smoke, as well as notes of coconut and clove, and aromas such as toasted marshmallow, butter, dried wood, chocolate malt and dark stone fruit. | Limited; Limited edition. The spirit can be purchased online with statewide shipping in Pennsylvania; pickup at the distillery is possible Mondays and Fridays 13:00–17:00. |
The Style and Flavor Profile of the Whiskies
The Bloody Butcher release traces several directions: fruitiness in the form of dark stone fruit, malt sweetness with chocolate malt, toasted marshmallow and butter, and spicy wood notes such as clove. The role of the wood is further highlighted as a source of minerality and tannin-like structure, and the product text mentions a moderate smoky character from the wood influence. Together, these documented elements point to a whisky style where local oak and soil contribute markedly to the aroma and flavor profile.
Visit the Distillery
The distillery welcomes the public into a bottle shop and lounge and offers tours, whiskey tastings and barrel-aged cocktails. All spirits can be purchased online with statewide shipping in Pennsylvania, and customers can pick up orders on-site on Mondays and Fridays from 13:00–17:00. Additionally, the satellite locations Enswell, The Bar Cart and The Stotesbury are named as places where the full range is available. Thus the public can taste, buy and collect bottles in connection with the distillery's events and opening hours.
Philosophy and Craft
New Liberty works to connect regional history and local ingredients in its whiskey production. Through a Heritage Collection, Pennsylvania brands are reinterpreted, while its own whiskies are created with emphasis on local ingredients and the master distiller's craft. The preservation of the historic stable building and the integration of a bottle shop and lounge underscores the desire to allow the site's identity and materials to actively participate in the production and the audience experience.