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1 10 / the tasting panel / november 2015 CATEGORY REPORT Going with the Grain: Dry Fly Straight Triticale Whiskey Located in Spokane, award-winning Dry Fly Distilling was the first distillery in the state of Washington since the dark days of Prohibition. It is a true craft distillery that embraces the farm-to-bottle approach, producing their spirits from locally grown, sustainable raw ingredients and pristine water drawn from the rivers that run through the Pacific Northwest. Among Dry Fly's cast of world-class offerings is Dry Fly Straight Triticale Whiskey (SRP $49.95). First developed in Scotland in the late 1800s, Triticale (pronounced trit-i-KAY-lee) is a hybrid grain created by crossing species of rye and wheat. After a quick sip, sniff and swallow, you'll wonder why more distillers aren't using the hybrid grain to make their whiskies. Dry Fly Straight Triticale is a cutting-edge spirit worthy of its critical acclaim. The whiskey is aged for more than three years in charred American white oak barrels. During its stay in wood, the whiskey develops a glorious aromatic signature, a wafting array of caramel, tropical fruit, spice and toasted oak. The lingering finish features the fresh, semisweet flavors of raisins, plums, pineapple and kiwi. The handcrafted whiskey is too good to share with friends. DRY FLY Slow and Steady: Slow Hand Organic Whiskey Greenbar Craft Distillery in Los Angeles—run by husband and wife team Litty Mathew and Melkon Khosrovian—doesn't follow the pack; instead, the pair looks to innovate the spirits- making process for every expression that they create. That's why they utilize a state-of-the-art fractionat- ing column still, which can distill all of their products and controls temperature with improved precision, for their Slow Hand Organic Whiskey. After the oats, barley and spelt go through this process, they micro-oxygenate the whiskey, mean- ing they add small amounts of oxygen to the liquid. This step mellows out the spirit, producing a soft mouthfeel and finish. For this offering, the couple chose to forgo extended barrel aging in order to allow the unique notes to shine through without being overpowered by any oak or other wood fla- vors. The nuanced layers of breakfast cereals, tropical fruits and flowers on the palate reinforce this decision. Once again, Greenbar Craft Distillery proves that when it comes to picking between tradition or taste—taste wins out every time. —Emily Coleman making process for every expression that they create. state-of-the-art fractionat- ing column still, which can distill all of their products and controls temperature with improved precision, for their Slow Hand Organic