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Estate Whiskey Alliance Forms to Support Homegrown Whiskeys

A new initiative aims to support and certify whiskeys whose grains were grown and distilled in one place.

Gabe Toth Aug 27, 2024 - 12 min read

Estate Whiskey Alliance Forms to Support Homegrown Whiskeys Primary Image

Photo: Courtesy Hillrock Estate Distillery

In partnership with the University of Kentucky, a new coalition of distilleries aims to promote the advantages of local sourcing and sustainable production, in part by offering a certification for whiskeys that meet an “estate” standard.

On behalf of the seven North American founding members, the university announced the creation of the Estate Whiskey Alliance on August 22. “Estate whiskey refers to a unique category of whiskey that is produced entirely on the distillery estate, using grains sourced from estate-owned or controlled land,” says the news release from the university, located in the heart of bourbon country and home to the James B. Beam Institute.

The announcement says that planned EWA initiatives include support for research and education in agriculture, manufacturing, and sustainability, and that the alliance plans to begin offering a licensed designation to authenticated Estate Whiskey Certified products in 2025.

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Gabe Toth is a distiller, former brewer, and industry journalist in northern Colorado. He is the lead distiller at The Family Jones production facility and has written books about floor malting and fermented food.

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