Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/471637
94 / the tasting panel / march 2015 Dry Fly Triticale Whiskey Danger and—even worse—monotony lurk around every corner in this scary world. It takes guts to combat these evil forces, and when this quest includes having to blaze an unknown trail, the faint of heart should stay home in their pajamas. Take Dry Fly Distilling's word for it. It took the plunge and went where very few have gone before: triticale (For those of you not familiar: Developed in Scotland and Sweden in the 19th century, this man-made hybrid grain mixes the soft qualities of wheat with the hardiness of rye). A very long time to mull over the fate of the finished product, three years passed before this whiskey—made from Washington-grown triticale and distilled in two 450-liter German copper pot stills designed by Christian Carl—could be enjoyed. When all was said and done, Dry Fly "Triticale" Whiskey's bravery in the face of uncertainty created a unique expression sure to fly off the shelves. Up, up and away! green guardian: captain courage: GO-GO GADGET TASTING NOTES! This regal whiskey lures you in with aromatics of caramel covered peaches, seaweed, sandalwood and fresh pineapple. On the palate, round, Sauternes-like sensuousness and an endless aftertaste of pineapple, Anjou pears, raisin toast, salted pretzels and sweet figs take you 'round and 'round. You don't want to get off this ride. 94 —M. M. PHOTO COURTESY OF GREENBAR CRAFT DISTILLERS Greenbar Craft Distillery Sure, the crime-fighting antics of Batman and Robin have some excellent entertainment value—utility belt and bat-gadgets alike—but what's more important than the real-life protection of Earth's most valuable resources? Doing just that while also producing delicious, unique spirits, of course. Husband and wife duo, Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, along with their entire production team at Greenbar Craft Distillery in Los Angeles—the first in town since Prohibition—make the world's largest portfolio of organic handcrafted spirits, including BAR KEEP bitters, CRUSOE rums, FRUITLAB liqueurs, GRAND POPPY bitter liqueur, IXÁ tequilas, SLOW HAND whiskeys, TRU gin and TRU vodkas. Benefiting from the use of slow fermentation, precise distillation, multiple species of woods for aging and only whole ingredients for flavor, these spirits stand out with distinct flavors and aromas. At a time when most others are re-creating the recognizable and familiar flavors of the past, Greenbar has taken the role of mad (yet genius) scientist, using a plethora of organic herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables to combine and concoct one amazing spirit infusion after another. This year they celebrate ten years of creative, highly delicious and mixable products as pioneers in the industry. Proving that the only thing green left about them—along with their name of course—is their commitment to organic products and doing their fair share in protecting our environment with 100% recycled labels and by planting a tree for every bottle sold—something we can all appreciate, especially the bats and robins.