Flying high: Taylor Garrett Whiskey celebrates its five-year anniversary, award-winning Old Fashioned
As a commercial airline pilot (and retired Naval aviator), Scott Feuille is well-versed in reaching a destination in rapid fashion.
The process of producing a quality whiskey typically requires more time and patience. However, in a relatively short period, Feuille has been able to change the perception of what it means to make a great-tasting spirit.
Taylor Garrett Whiskey, which is named for Feuille鈥檚 kids and recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, is billed by its founder as a 鈥渢raditionally distilled, innovatively aged鈥� alcoholic beverage. On the back of a Taylor Garrett bottle, it says 鈥渁ged 737 minutes鈥� 鈥� though according to Feuille, the aging process is closer to 96 hours. Either way, it鈥檚 accomplished far quicker than a traditionally-aged spirit.
鈥淢ost of the feedback that we get is that this is a really smooth, good product,鈥� Feuille said. 鈥淏ut when they hear that it鈥檚 aged 96 hours, they鈥檙e incredulous. They just can鈥檛 believe it. And they say, 鈥榃ow, that doesn鈥檛 taste like a young whiskey.鈥欌��
Taylor Garrett was able to explore the science of aging whiskey thanks to a grant from the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program.
鈥淭he basis of our aging is a technological process, but there鈥檚 no additives,鈥� Feuille said. 鈥淓verything that happens during the natural process is happening 鈥� it just happens at a much faster rate. So it gives us, in the most layman terms, a four- to eight-year equivalent whiskey in about 96 hours. So that is really what allows us to offer the product at a lower price point. It is a quality product, and we鈥檝e got the laboratory results that show that on a very objective scale.鈥�
Feuille acknowledges that whiskey preference, especially with so many brands available, can vary. But there are also elements that are consistently found in all spirits.
鈥淥bviously, any artistic endeavor is very subjective 鈥� The objective part of that is there are certain chemical compounds that are in whiskeys that are common across the board. There are desirable compounds. There are more undesirable compounds,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can do an objective analysis and compare what鈥檚 in a top brand, what鈥檚 in a 48-year aged commercial whiskey, and do a comparison across the board of what those molecules and what those chemical compounds are in our whiskey, and in their whiskey.鈥�
In addition to its bourbon and rye offerings, Taylor Garrett also sells a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned. This blend recently scored 94 points at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, which made it the top-scoring Old Fashioned in its category 鈥� notably ahead of industry giant Bulleit.
鈥淭hat was a big win for us and, obviously, a big win for New Mexico. I was president of the Distillers Guild for a couple of years, and we鈥檝e got a vibrant distilling scene in New Mexico. We鈥檙e starting to see a lot of New Mexico spirits perform very well on the national stage.
鈥溾��. Any time you go up against the big boys in Kentucky and you come out on top, that鈥檚 kind of a cool feeling to know that you鈥檙e doing it right.鈥�
Taylor Garrett got its start a little more than a month before the COVID pandemic shutdown hit in earnest, and it enjoyed a relaunch of sorts this past August. Over the years, the brand has gradually established more of a retail foothold throughout the state. In the future, Feuille can envision adding a tasting room presence as well as more seasonal cocktail releases. For now, the focus is on the primary offerings.
鈥淥ver the course of five years, we鈥檝e leaned down, refocused on just our core products and are pushing those out at a higher quality and a lower price point than we were when we first launched,鈥� Feuille said. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 a nice offering for the public, and we鈥檙e happy to be able to do that and have a viable business.鈥�
Flying high: Taylor Garrett Whiskey celebrates its five-year anniversary, award-winning Old Fashioned
