Before you roll your eyes and mutter something about “craft” distilleries, let’s be clear: their story doesn’t start with great-great-grandpappy’s secret recipe found in a dusty barn. The secret to any great whiskey is hardware. A huge part of the equation is the stills, the beautiful, massive copper contraptions that turn a glorified grain smoothie into the glorious liquid we all argue about. Finger Lakes Distilling’s approach to their bourbon stills is a testament to industrial archaeology and clever modern engineering, and that’s the key to understanding what’s in your glass.

Pot Stills vs. Column Stills: The Only Technical Bit You Need to Know

Let’s get the boring technical stuff out of the way. In the bourbon world, you’ve got two main stills.

Imagine a column still as a highly efficient, no-nonsense factory assembly line. It’s tall, continuous, and pumps out a high-proof, clean spirit with relentless, almost boring, consistency. The big guys use column stills because they’re incredibly effective at large-scale production. They strip out the heavier oils, which results in a lighter, smoother spirit. It’s the soulless corporate workhorse of the distilling world.

Now, picture a pot still. It’s the artisanal, quirky cousin. It looks like a giant copper tea kettle with a swan’s neck. Distilling with a pot still is a batch process, fill it, run it, clean it, start over. It’s slower, less efficient, and requires hands-on attention, which is code for “more expensive.” But, and this is a big but, it allows more of the flavorful oils and esters to carry over. This results in a richer, oilier, and more character-driven whiskey. It’s less about efficiency and more about coaxing out complexity.

The Finger Lakes Distilling Hybrid Approach

So, what does Finger Lakes Distilling use? The answer is… both. And that’s why you’re still reading. They use a custom-designed system that marries the best of both worlds. The initial run happens in their 25-foot continuous column still. This first step efficiently strips the alcohol from the fermented mash, a job for which a column still is perfectly suited. It does the heavy lifting.

But they don’t stop there. Instead of running the spirit through the column still again to proof it up, they take that low-proof distillate and run it through their German-made copper pot stills. This second distillation in a pot still is their secret weapon. It retains the heavier, more flavorful compounds that a purely column-based system would have stripped away. It’s like using an industrial crane for the foundation and then bringing in a master sculptor for the finish.

This hybrid method gives their McKenzie Bourbon a distinctive profile. You get the clean foundation from the column still, but the pot still adds a layer of rich, oily texture and a depth of flavor you don’t often find in younger craft bourbons. It’s a clever way to achieve a mature-tasting spirit without waiting a decade, or paying for one.

Does It Really Matter?

Yes, you cynic, it absolutely matters. The still is what decides which flavors get to come to the party. A column still is a very strict bouncer, only letting in the clean-cut, predictable guests. A pot still is a more relaxed bouncer who lets in the interesting, slightly weird, and much more memorable guests. By using both, Finger Lakes Distilling gets a great mix.

This choice directly translates to what you experience in the glass. It’s why their bourbon often has a robust mouthfeel and a complex character that defies its age statement. While local corn, rye, malted barley, and their unique water source from Seneca Lake all play a part, the still is the star of the show. They even finish some of their bourbon in Chardonnay casks from local wineries, adding another layer of New York terroir to the final product, but the foundation is built in those copper stills.

Finding Your Flavor Profile with OAKR

Now, here’s the tricky part. I could use flowery adjectives and tell you to expect ‘a whisper of a caramel sunset’ and a ‘creamy finish,’ but let’s be honest, that’s for your therapist, not a whiskey review. Taste is subjective, and your palate is a unique mess of preferences. What I call ‘rich and oily,’ you might call ‘heavy.’ What you perceive as ‘subtle spice,’ I might not notice at all. That’s why you need to quit wasting time on bad poetry and get some real data.

This is where you stop listening to know-it-alls on the internet and get some real data. Instead of wasting money on a bottle you might hate, you can use a tool like OAKR. It’s essentially a bourbon sommelier app for your phone. OAKR aggregates tasting data from actual blind tasting panelists, people who don’t know they’re drinking a hyped-up bottle or a local underdog. The app analyzes all that data to create a detailed flavor profile for thousands of spirits.

You can explore the flavor wheel for Finger Lakes Distilling’s McKenzie Bourbon and see what the consensus is before you buy. More importantly, you can tell OAKR what you like, and it will give you personalized recommendations based on your preferences. It does the legwork of finding spirits that match your unique palate, so you can spend less time gambling and more time enjoying.

So, if you’re tired of the same old bourbons and want to explore something made with ingenuity and a whole lot of copper, give Finger Lakes Distilling a look. Their unique still setup is a testament to thoughtful spirit production. And when you’re ready to really dive deep into its flavor profile, let OAKR be your guide. Your next favorite bottle might just be waiting in upstate New York.