Hogback Distillery Office — Local services in Estes Park

I've deliberated for almost a week on how to do a proper review of Hogback Distillery Store & Tasting Room and have finally concluded I can't. The experience was just that sublime for me personally.

My wife has never liked whiskey--whisky either, heh heh. Yet she was okay just sitting with me (albeit in two extraordinarily comfortable, rocking, Chesterfield-style[?] chairs in one of the side rooms). More than once I "came to" out of my revery and realized that, yup. She's. Just. Sitting. There. I thanked her for indulging me. She said simply that she was happy to see me so happy. I pretty much begged to go again the night before our brief Estes Park stay ended.

Why me so happy? Well this is where the words start to fail. For starters, I'm not a whisky connoisseur. I wonder even how discerning my palate is. But when I need a good long minute for a single sip, one that barely wets my lips, and I can let it linger in my mouth, and then swallow mouth-closed with vapors coming back up the "plumbing" and out my nose, and the entire time a kaleidoscope of flavors and aromas keeps surprising me, well...connoisseur shmonnoisseur...I know this is going to be a journey.

I'm as pleased as the next guy to slam a shot or have a cocktail before dinner. Taking upwards of two hours to work through a flight of four offerings isn't just about "having a drink." (Both times, I had the middle-tier Premium Flight, by the way, with the bourbon swapped out the second time for a different scotch...no easy decision, believe me!)

Then there's lovely Brand Ambassador Katherine. My wife and I--New Englanders--lived in Austin, Texas the last few years before retiring. (Wouldn't have predicted that in a million years!) It took that amount of time to even begin to "get" Texas. Based on my experience, all I can say is: Katherine couldn't be from anywhere else. And I don't know if she's responsible for why Classic Country plays in the background, but it definitely fits.

And as for things just fitting, there's Graeme. Where to start about Graeme? You may wonder, once you realize that those two are together, How did this quintessentially Texas gal meet this bloke from Scotland? There's a story there.

In fact, there is nothing but story within this small establishment.

Some people are just outliers. So unique, so gifted, that they stand out. Some outliers become famous. Probably most don't. To me, the most admirable outliers barely know they're special, if they know it at all. They're just driven by their passions and unselfconsciously leave their marks because they sort of can't help it.

Take a gander at the photography books scattered about that Graeme has published. Gaze around at his large-format prints hung on the walls. And, yes, do, please, savor some of his whisky.

Maybe you'll just have a drink and a nice chat with Graeme. He does after all give the appearance of a regular guy (save for the unmistakably Scottish look and accent).

My hope? You'll feel as lucky as I did to have happened into the presence...

Hogback is a must visit location in Estes if you are even a little partial to good whisk(e)y. Their award winning Wallace series speaks for itself, but don't let that make you shy away from their many other fine expressions. I ordered the premium flight and sampled through the Oak & Aspen Cask Strength, Eclipse (rum finished rye), the Rich Roast American single malt, and the Peated American single malt.

Sometimes when a distiller has a wide lineup you can tell which are their favorites and which are there to pad sales. Not so with Hogback, Graeme instills love and care into every bottle providing a warming and pleasant stroll through nearly all this wonderful spirit has to offer. Each sample I tried showed a clear understanding of the style, and if that doesn't matter to you know that they just taste great as well. We did not enjoy a cocktail while we were there, but it was nice to know that they were available since my wife does not prefer neat liquor.

Beyond the fine spirits, I had a great conversation with Katherine who was running the tasting room at the time. She spoke at length, and with insight, into the making of each bottle as well as just enjoying speaking about whiskey in general. She was also so nice to my young children, which is often my experience with distilleries but not always the case, so families feel welcomed (at least during the day).

Overall, it was a great experience that we will add to our Estes traditions moving forward. Stop in for a dram and leave with a bottle or more. You won't be...

Lil and I went to Smokin' Dave's BBQ for lunch and saw that the Hogback Distillery Store & Tasting Room was open for business. So we dropped in to say "Hi " and sample some of Graeme's new products. We'd already had experience with his single malts so it was time to see how his other whiskeys tasted. We were not disappointed and bought three additional bottles to compliment the bottles we had at home. We had wonderful conversations covering whiskey, Estes Park, motorcycles and photography. Graeme is quite an interesting fellow to talk to! Graeme whipped up one of his "chocolate" old fashioneds and it was delicious. Can't wait to go back in a few months and see what his new releases are. Stop by. You will really enjoy your visit. Cheers,...