You know the bourbon rules: Kentucky legacy, Oloroso cask-speak, and a strict no-ice policy for anything older than your last tax return. But let's ask the real question: have you ever poured a whiskey that was built, not bought, by a finance guy? Say hello to Finger Lakes Distilling, a necessary break from the mold in the New York spirits scene. They aren't descended from distillers. They are the first generation, and they're okay with that. This operation was dreamed up by a former banker, and frankly, a clear-eyed business plan is a better foundation than a family secret.
The name Brian McKenzie might suggest a storied Scottish heritage, but the reality is more grounded and better: he’s a local. He didn’t move here from a big city to ‘discover’ this town. He moved back to his home turf in the Finger Lakes region and saw the potential everyone else missed. He’s simply putting his county’s abundant corn and agriculture to good use.
In the early 2000s, he traded spreadsheets and a 401(k) for the seemingly crazy idea of making whiskey here. When the restrictive laws were loosened by the 2007 Farm Distillery Act, McKenzie, ever the savvy businessman, was ready. Finger Lakes Distilling opened in 2009 as the region’s first stand-alone distillery. He even built the place to look like a barn, which is either peak commitment or a wink at the ‘farm-to-bottle’ trend before it was a marketing pitch.
Forget the romantic image of a master distiller tasting every cut, McKenzie is the master strategist. He’s the visionary who knows that a great product only wins if you can actually sell it. He hired dedicated distillers to run the stills and got himself on the road to be the face of the brand.
His focus has always been local. Early on, he sidestepped cheap corn to use local grapes for his vodka and gin, a direct nod to the Finger Lakes’ famous wine tradition. It’s a calculated move that says, “We are not tourists; we are embedded here.”
The McKenzie whiskey line is his obsession. Instead of focusing solely on quick-turnaround spirits like gin and vodka to pay the bills, McKenzie committed to barreling whiskey for the long haul. That takes confidence, and it’s why he travels the country making the case that a New York bourbon belongs right next to the best Kentucky has to offer. The pitch is tough, but the whiskey makes it easier.
A former banker’s obsession with detail, quality control, and long-term growth is a direct benefit to the whiskey. This is not a hobby. Finger Lakes Distilling is a charter member of the Empire Rye consortium, a group dedicated to creating a uniquely New York style of rye with strict production standards. This is a calculated, quality-driven endeavor, not a slap-dash operation.
Their best-seller, the McKenzie Straight Bourbon, features a high rye mash bill for a spicy kick that expertly balances the corn’s inherent sweetness. It’s a “bourbon for people who think they don’t like sweet bourbon.” They use locally grown grains, crafting a deliberate flavor profile that celebrates the bounty of the Finger Lakes and gives the spirit a genuine sense of place. From their rich Straight Bourbon to their complex Bottled-in-Bond expressions, the quality is consistent and deliberate.
Taste is subjective, and we get it: you can read a thousand poetic descriptions and still feel lost. What other people call ‘an autumnal whisper of the forest floor,’ we call tannin migration from the barrel staves. Our job is to cut the fluff and talk about the actual specs.
Navigating this maze of flavor can be a pain. That’s where an app like OAKR comes in handy. Think of it as your personal bourbon sommelier that fits in your pocket. OAKR aggregates tasting notes from blind-tasting panelists to build comprehensive flavor profiles for thousands of spirits. Instead of guessing, you can see the data-backed flavor cloud for that bottle of McKenzie Bourbon before you buy it.
The app helps you discover what you truly like and gives you personalized recommendations based on your palate. It cuts through the marketing fluff and gives you the straight dope on what’s inside the bottle. If you’re ready to “geek out,” as McKenzie himself puts it, OAKR is the tool to do it with.
Love the sweet and spicy balance of McKenzie? You can unpack all the detailed flavor notes, and find related spirits that taste similar. Search and filter by any data point in OAKR, and add spirits you like to your profile to personalize your sommelier recommendations.
So next time you’re looking for a new bottle, give the first-generation’s bourbon a try. Finger Lakes Distilling proves you don’t need a storied family past to make a fantastic spirit. Sometimes, all it takes is a bold idea, a head for business, and some of the best grain New York has to offer. Go explore their selection, and then head over to the OAKR app to dive deeper into what makes their flavors tick. You might just find your new favorite pour.
Login to OAKR for spirit profile flavor data, create your own lists and customize your palate to get custom somm recommendations on whiskey you’ll love.
