Innovative American craft distilleries have long offered so-called whisky futures through sales of private barrels of to-be-matured new make spirit to individuals, whisky clubs and establishments. . Garrison Brothers in Texas, Corsair in Kentucky and Tennessee, Catocin Creek and Virgina Distillery in Virginia, Foundry Distilling in Iowa, Still 630 in Missouri, Mississippi River Distilling Company in Iowa, New Riff Distilling in Kentucky and Freeland Spirits in Oregon are just some of those who currently offer programs with different degrees of customization, from barrel type to blending, to their customers.
In B.C., several artisan distilleries that are maturing whisky offer similar programs, from small 30-litre casks at Stillhead Distillery in Duncan, B.C., to 113-litre barrels at Odd Society Spirits and full-size former Port, Sherry, Islay and American oak casks at Victoria Caledonian. ““It’s a win-win scenario,” distiller Grant Stevely of Dubh Glas Distillery near Oliver, B.C., told us last year: fans of his wildly popular single malt get guaranteed bottles, and the distillery gets funds to support cask maturation.