High West Distillery: The Story Behind Utah’s Premier Craft Whiskey

Introduction: Meet High West Distillery

When you think of whiskey, Utah may not be the first state that comes to mind, but High West is changing that perception bottle by bottle. High West Distillery, founded in 2006, has been putting Utah on the map for whiskey enthusiasts. Their highly sought-after Utah craft whiskey is receiving excellent reviews on NEAT, with reviewers noting that their pours are well-balanced and packed with flavor. We sat down with High West Distillery to figure out what is making Park City, Utah's best-known distillery stand out from the crowd.

The Origin Story: How it All Began

Every distillery has a beginning, but very few have a backstory quite like High West's. It's a tale of chemistry, curiosity, and rediscovery in the heart of Utah. High West was founded in 2006 in Park City, Utah, by David Perkins, a biochemist who fell in love with the distillation process during a trip to Kentucky. Perkins was on a distillery tour when he noticed all the parallels between distillation and his profession in biochemistry. He was very intrigued by the complexity of distillation and the whiskey-making process as a whole; however, it wasn't until he returned from that trip that the spark was truly ignited for Perkins when he learned about Utah's rich, though largely forgotten, whiskey heritage. Utah, at one time, was a whiskey "hot spot", but prohibition and stringent state-level laws essentially killed off this slice of Utah culture. Perkins, however, just used this to fuel his fire and wanted to reignite the passion Utah once had for whiskey.  "The combination of personal passion, scientific curiosity, and a desire to bring back a lost piece of the American West is what set us on our journey", said the High West team. Perkins fearlessly set out on this journey and helped pave the way for many other craft distilleries in Utah. Today, High West is highly sought after, with some enthusiasts actively seeking rare offerings, such as A Midwinter Night's Dream.

Signature Spirit: The Flagship Whiskey

High West has a diverse portfolio of pours, but one bottle captures the soul of the brand better than any other: their flagship product, Rendezvous Rye. Rendezvous Rye is the standout product that has helped define the High West Brand. Many enthusiasts on NEAT praise it for its bold yet approachable character. Which is precisely what High West set out to create with this release, "Its [Rendezvous Rye] bold, spicy character and complex layers embody both the traditional and innovative spirit of High West.", said the High West team. Rendezvous Rye is a complex yet balanced pour, known for its herbal and earthy nose notes, as well as mint, citrus, and cinnamon tasting notes. Rendezvous Rye is a release that is known for its value and rightfully owns the title of High West's flagship whiskey. 

A Moment to Remember: The First Drop

Every distillery has that "first drop" moment, an unforgettable instant when the whiskey starts to flow, and the dream becomes real. For the High West team, that first drop was more than just whiskey; it was proof that they could bring whiskey back to Utah's culture. When asked about how that first moment felt, the High West team said, "The memory of that first drop is still vivid. We gathered around the still with a mixture of excitement and nervous anticipation—it felt a bit like sending your child off to their first day of school." The distillation process is a very expensive one, so High West had a lot riding on those first few batches. They planned for a very long time to ensure that they hit the mark early on in their distillation journey. "After months of planning, learning, and hard work, there was a tremendous sense of accomplishment just to see the clear spirit flow". However, like all creative endeavors, High West's process needed refinement on its first attempt. They remember that first taste as "humbling and exhilarating", and when asked to summarize those first few drops, they said, "It wasn't perfect, but it was full of promise". From that point forward, Perkins drew on his scientific background. He tested, improved, and refined High West's distillation process until they achieved a whiskey they knew was "truly exceptional." They look back on those first few drops as the start of an ongoing adventure, "That moment was the beginning of an ongoing adventure—one that continues to inspire us every day."

Why High West Stands Out

In a day and age when more whiskey brands are coming to market almost every day, brands need to stand out. As one of the most innovative brands in the U.S., High West does an impeccable job of this, not just with their excellent craft whiskey but also with their blending philosophy. High West proudly distills its distillate seven days a week, but that's just the beginning. On their mission to create the most balanced and complex product on the market, High West searches high and low for whiskeys that enable them to craft one-of-a-kind, standout pours for their customers. On their website, High West equates their blending process to a painter painting a beautiful picture, "A painter can paint a more beautiful picture, if he has more colors in his palette. A whiskey maker and a blender can make a much more beautiful whiskey if we have more different flavor profiles in the warehouse to choose from", said Brendan Coyle, Master Distiller at High West. This process is what makes High West one of the more innovative brands in the industry. They're relentless in crafting the bold-yet-balanced pours enthusiasts crave.

Where to Find High West Whiskey

Whether you're planning a distillery tour of their beautiful Park City distillery or trying to get your hands on a bottle of Rendezvous Rye, we've got you covered. High West is known for its beautiful distillery, so if you're near Park City, Utah, it's a must-stop for whiskey enthusiasts. In Utah fashion, they also have the world's only Ski-in distillery, making it the perfect place to stop for whiskey enthusiasts who love to ski or snowboard. However, if you are not planning on being near the beautiful state of Utah anytime soon, the app NEAT: Whiskey Finder can still help you track it down. With NEAT, you can see where people are finding all of High West's great pours near you, look at real user reviews of stand-out pours like Rendezvous Rye, including tasting and nose notes!

Final Thoughts / Whiskey Enthusiast's Take

For the curious and the connoisseurs alike, High West is more than a distillery; it's a frontier of flavor. High West is a brand driven by passion, curiosity, and the scientific process. They search high and low to find the perfect flavor profiles in their blends, making High West a must-try for whiskey enthusiasts. If you're looking for that ideal ratio of complexity and balance in your next pour, give a High West product a try. Make sure you rate it on the NEAT: Whiskey Finder app to keep track of what you think as you make your way through their great lineup!