Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/326040
28 / the tasting panel / june 2014 TINSELTOWN TASTINGS T he craft spirit industry may be one of the saving graces for the struggling family farm. For Todd Hardie, Caledonia Spirits founder, team leader and beekeeper from Hardwick, Vermont, that notion is a sure reality—he's seen local farms recover by taking their agricultural products and distilling them, which in turn is fueling renewed interest in younger generations willing to stay and work the family farm. Hardie and his younger brother, Tommy, began keeping bees while working their family's farm some 49 years ago—eventually it became a full time career. Hardie founded Honey Gardens Apiaries, and at the height of his beekeeping days maintained over 1,900 hives in 62 locations from Vermont's Champlain Valley west to the St. Lawrence River Valley in New York State. But in the last decade, global warming and a changing environment, in addition to continued population growth, created severe challenges for his bees—at one point he had lost half his hives. Citing increased use in pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, Hardie explained that the bees' "immune systems are down." Eventually he decided to sell the hives to a larger organization that could care for the bees, and to support his family he took up distilling—a practice the Hardies can trace back 125 years to Scotland. "Realizing we had to diversify," Hardie explains, he worked out an arrangement to take back the honey "and kept it raw," because "it's medicine and a sweet- ener"—and it's what makes their gin so incredibly unique. Ryan January, Spirits Buyer at Wally's Wine & Spirits in Los Angeles recently picked up the entire portfolio. "Todd explained that six pounds of honey are required to distill one bottle of vodka—the first I've ever tried that was distilled from honey, which is quite unique. It will excite customers looking for something special." As for the taste of the vodka, "I was blown away by the lack of heat, the nice creamy texture and the mild sweetness." (Like January, I was taken by both the Gin and Vodka, which I prefer straight, over a couple cubes of ice, to savor the complex aromatics). Hardie, who was in Los Angeles supporting efforts by Wine Warehouse, which recently picked up his portfolio for distribution in California, loves being on the ground building relationships. "We are farmers that bring our products to the marketplace," he said. "The history of distilling is all about agriculture and there are over 14+ distillers in Vermont and at least 40 in New York, and we are seeing big growth." The future of Caledonia Spirits is bright and growth is certain—main- taining quality is paramount. In May, they released Early Riser Corn Whiskey in Vermont and a bourbon is soon to follow. The current portfolio also includes: Barr Hill Gin (SRP $40), Barr Hill Vodka (SRP $66) and Caledonia Spirits Elderberry Cordial (SRP $39/375ml), as well as Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat Barrel-Aged Gin ($37/375ml). The Honeybee as Master Distiller BUYERS ARE A-BUZZ FOR VERMONT'S CALEDONIA SPIRITS story and photos by Jonathan Cristaldi Todd Hardie and Ryan January. TP0614_001-33.indd 28 5/23/14 8:30 PM