Journeyman - Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey Organic Wheat Whiskey

Our final pour in this travel-log box is actually part of our future planning, with Michigan being locked in as one of the main stops for our next Whiskey Discovery Trip! We already feel like they are old friends, as the Journeyman team is an open book, and about as authentic as it gets. Founded in 2010 out of an old Featherbone factory (more on that later), Founder Bill Welter set up their operation around preserving Pride of Place, honoring history while creating their own, and making people feel good about what they’re drinking. One of the earliest distilleries in MI, they immediately focused on education and hospitality. Bill’s whiskey adventures to Scotland and Tasmania (which actually has a thriving distillery scene!) provided a framework of dreams that he was able to make a reality. The Journeyman name is a homage to travel, but also “life’s twists and turns”. We really respect where that winding road of life led them, with unique mash bills, a commitment to sustainability, and fantastic story-telling to match. Not only are they certified kosher and organic, with their grains coming from local family farms (which has a hugely positive impact on flavor), but at both their Michigan location and their second tasting room in northern Indiana they renovated existing buildings to fit their needs.

This Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey bottling might seem oddly named, but don’t worry, there’s nothing weird here, just another tribute to their history! Their original Three Oaks facility started off as a manufacturing plant for corsets and buggy-whips, utilizing turkey “featherbones” to replace the standard whalebone. As Bill says, “We fell in love with the building, the history here in Three Oaks, the Featherbone Factory, and really Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey, our most awarded whiskey, is really just telling that story of the building, with the whiskey being the next thing in line.” This incredible whiskey matches the unique history, smashing any preconceptions about what a 100% Wheat Whiskey could be. This bottle took home back-to-back Whiskey of the Year honors in Fred Minnick’s ASCOT Awards, with Fred saying it was one of the best whiskeys he had ever tasted after his first live taste on his show, shining a spotlight on all the incredible innovation happening around the country in craft whiskey. This custom blend exclusively available to our members contains the oldest remaining stock they have on hand (as you can imagine, they were quick to sell out once word got around), for which we are so grateful to the Journeyman team. We can’t wait to visit them and experience “whiskey hospitality”, which Bill defines as, “that co-mingling of the actual manufacturing and distilling process, but also the hospitality component that we bring at both locations.” Plus, we’ve heard they have a 30,000 square foot putting green called Welter’s Folly, so there’s something for everyone! Cheers to the Journeyman innovation, fantastic whiskey, and incredible memories yet to come.