Distillery produces Florida’s ‘first’ Bourbon

A US distillery is preparing to launch what it claims is Florida’s first Bourbon, and a new rye whiskey made from grains grown in the sunshine state.

Timber Creek was co-founded by two neighbours, Camden Ford and Aaron Barnes

Timber Creek Distillery, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, handcrafts its whiskey using 95% of grains grown in Florida. Grains are matured separately in charred Missouri Oak barrels and then blended to create the distillery’s Timber Creek Florida Bourbon, Timber Creek Reserve Florida Bourbon Whiskey.

Timber Creek Florida Bourbon is a wheated Bourbon made with a blend of corn, wheat and barley. Timber Creek Reserve Florida Bourbon Whiskey is produced using a rare four-grain blend that brings together corn, wheat, rye and barley. Timber Creek Black Rye Whiskey meanwhile is made from 100% Florida 401 black rye – a strain of grain that grows only in Florida.

The distillery was co-founded by engineer Camden Ford, who left a Silicon Valley to move his family back to Florida, and Aaron Barnes, a home brewer and neighbour to Ford.

“I really didn’t know what to expect, but realized over a few glasses of whiskey on the back porch that we had a lot in common, including the passion for quality beverages,” said Aaron Barnes, master distiller at Timber Creek. “We wanted to create a whiskey that embodies the Florida Panhandle and share it with our community, like sharing a drink with a neighbour.”

Timber Creek Distillery also produces a wheat vodka made from local North Florida red soft winter wheat, rum made with Louisiana sugarcane, a dark rum barrel aged in charred Missouri Oak barrels, and an apple pie rum based on a family pie recipe.

Its new range of rye and bourbon whiskeys will be unveiled on 11 March at the annual Alys Beach Bourbon, Beer and Butts Festival.