Aging Gracefully with Michigan Whiskey

Growing Old Together

Cheers to growing up and growing old with Michigan whiskey. New Holland Brewing was one of the first Michigan microbreweries I came to love. Then just when I was ready to test the waters of Michigan’s burgeoning distilling industry, lo and behold, New Holland Artisan Spirits was right there with Zeppelin Bend, a straight-malt whiskey.

Zeppelin Bend, as New Holland explains, “begins with a brewer’s mash coaxing sugars from malted barley into a liquid wash. This wash is twice distilled and aged in new American oak with a heavy char...” for a “... classic American-oak finish.” The whiskey has no age statement, though my guess is that it’s quite young.

I purchased bottle number 112 of 360, from barrel number 7.8. The 375 ML bottle costs right around $39—I think a fifth is $70—so I’m not likely to make Zeppelin Bend a staple of my liquor cabinet—yet. Zeppelin Bend is well worth it for the novelty or for a Michigan-themed tasting, or simply to nurture the young industry.

Here’s what this whiskey novice thought:

Color: Pale copper, with hints of red almost like a summer sunset.

Nose: Sweet vanilla, faint pine and juniper, and a little bit of oak. There’s also an intimidating alcohol smell.

Palate: Thankfully, the strong alcohol smell dims into a subtle flavor of vanilla, syrup, and oak. Sharp.

Finish: Licorice and mint, and a maple syrup flavor that is light, sweet, and surprisingly refreshing.

Overall: A nice starting point for Michigan whiskey. Zeppelin Bend is a bit “boozy” but not nearly as violent as your nostrils tell you. Good for a rainy summer afternoon spent on a covered porch.

With age, we’ll all learn to relax.