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Local whiskey honored in international competition

WEBSTER CITY Wildcat Distilling Co. announced that its Tillmans Small Batch Whiskey has been awarded a bronze medal from the American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition (ADI ISC).

The judging panel described the whiskey as having “an engaging aroma, good balance, with some inviting fruity and vanilla elements.”

Accepting the award on Aug. 23 at the ADI’s 2023 conference in Las Vegas will be the Wildcat Distilling Co. team composed of owners Brad and Amanda Lemke and Tony and Alissa Nelson.

Every spirit entered in the American Distilling Instituteas International Spirits Competition is tasted and evaluated blindly by an expert panel of spirit judges who are only given enough information to correctly judge the spirit without identifying the producer or the specific spirit. Individual judges make a medal or no medal recommendation with their score. When the panel has completed its evaluation, its anchor judge tallies the scores and begins discussing what medal, if any, should be awarded. The panel uses the numerical average as the starting point in their medal conversation. ADI allows the panel to adjust the award up or down to reflect the groupes consensus best.

Tillmans is a three-grain whiskey made from a traditional recipe blend of corn, wheat and rye that captures the nature of rye tempered by the earthy sweet notes of wheat. These flavors are brought together by aging in new oak barrels.

“Our Tillmans, named after Grandpa Al Isakson, the original Wildcat Tillman, is a true example of our pride in creating high-quality spirits with grain grown on our family farm,” said Brad Lemke, master distiller. “Grandpa Al always believed that when things are done with care and done right, they can stand the test of time. That is exactly what Tillmans is all about, and this award demonstrates that.”

Other spirits created at Wildcat Distilling Co. include Harvest Moon, Honey Moon, Woodshed Red, and Plow Point. The Planteres Pride is a precisely crafted individual whiskey that can be commissioned by farmers, businesses, or anyone that just wants to call a whiskey their own. Here the grains can be grown and provided for the distilling of the whiskey while continuing the “Till, Mill, Distill” trademark of all whiskeys produced at Wildcat Distilling Co.

The Wildcat Distilling Co. Tasting Room in Webster City is open for the community and visitors to stop and try out the whiskeys and signature drinks. For an experience of learning more about whiskey, guided tasting is held on the first Saturday of every month, and tickets can be purchased on their website. Events can also be scheduled at the Tasting Room.

Wildcat Distilling Co Tasting Room is at 626 Second St.

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