Hamilton Distillers

Hamilton Distillers, Inc. is a private family-owned and operated distillery company, founded by Stephen Paul in 2006, headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.^[1] The company produces and markets three Single Malt Whiskey Del Bac labels.^[2] Its current distillery facility, called Mash & Chisel, is located in west Tucson, Arizona. Hamilton is the first craft distillery established in Southern Arizona since prohibition and the largest Whiskey producer in the Tucson metro region.^[3]

History

Hamilton Distillers concept was developed by american wood worker Stephen Paul and his daughter Amanda Paul in 2006.^[4] In the mid 1980s the Paul's opened a boutique furniture company Arroyo Design producing custom luxury mesquite wood fine furniture for international clients.^[5] The Hamilton Distillers product grew out of the use of mesquite and was developed to capture the unique taste of this arid climate tree and the Sonoran desert. Whiskey Del Bac is rooted in a historical tradition of wine and spirit production in the American Southwest that grew out of imported european grapevines brought by Franciscan missionaries in 1500s, the arrival of Whiskey into the American West through companies like the American Fur Company, and the enigmatic golden age of Arizona’s wild west cowboys and gunslingers. Each of the three inaugural Hamilton Whiskey products share the name Del Bac with the Spanish Colonial Mission San Xavier del Bac founded in 1692 by Padre Eusebio Kino, outside of current day Tucson. Del Bac is the physical location near Tucson. In 2015 Hamilton Distillers was named by Playboy Magazine as Arizona's best spirit.^[6]

The Master Distillers of Hamilton since its founding have been Paul joined in 2013 by Nathan Thompson-Avolino.^[7]

Product description

Distillation and aging

Hamilton is a single malt straight whiskey, aged in new charred oak barrels, like bourbon.^[8] Unlike traditional whiskey, the Sonoran desert product is malted over mesquite instead of peat.^[9] The process imbues the whiskey with a sweet tobacco and dark chocolate nose and is underpinned by sandalwood and creates a soft tannins on the palette with desert campfire and spice notes.^[10]

Packaging

Each barrel is bottled by hand, with each label hand-signed by the distiller. The bottling process is done by volunteers, who receive a free bottle of Whiskey Del Bac. Requests to volunteer must be sent in writing to the distillery. The bottle features hand letterpress label printed on a Chandler & Price press with gold foil and features a 19th century etching of a giant saguaro cactus.^[11]

Products

• Whiskey Del Bac Clear
• Whiskey Del Bac Classic
• Whiskey Del Bac Dorado

Honors and awards

• American Craft Spirits Association: Silver: Single Malt Less Than 1 Year – Whiskey Del Bac Dorado, 2015
• Great American Distillers Festival: Bronze: American Single Malt – Whiskey Del Bac Dorado, 2014
• Washington Cup Spirits Competition: Bronze: Single Malt Whiskey – Whiskey Del Bac Dorado, 2014
• American Craft Spirits Association: Gold: Unaged – Whiskey Del Bac Clear, 2015
• Great American Distillers Festival: Silver: Unaged – Whiskey Del Bac Clear, 2014
• American Craft Spirits Association: Gold: Malt Whiskey Less Than 1 Year – Whiskey Del Bac Classic, 2015
• Great American Distillers Festival: Double Gold Best In Show: Single Malt Less than 1 Year – Whiskey Del Bac Classic
• Great American Distillers Festival: Gold: Single Malt Less than 1 Year – Whiskey Del Bac Classic, 2014
• American Craft Distillers Festival: Bronze: Malt Whiskey Less Than 1 Year – Whiskey Del Bac Classic, 2014
• Washington Cup Spirits Competition: Bronze: Single Malt Whiskey – Whiskey Del Bac Classic, 2014
• American Distillers Institute: Bronze: Single Malt Under 2 Years – Whiskey Del Bac Classic, 2014

References

External links

• Hamilton Distillers
• Edible Baja Arizona Magazine Profile

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