Whistling Andy's Distillery

Montana is blessed with many fine micro-breweries and to a lesser extent, wineries, so it’s no surprise that distilleries were soon to follow.  One of these pioneers is Whistling Andy’s in Bigfork. If you wish to start a taste test of Montana distilleries, this was a good place to begin.

Whistling Andy’s makes vodka, gin, silver rum, Montana moonshine and their amazing award-winning Hibiscus Coconut Rum.  This bright red concoction was not something I would see myself enjoying since I tend to lean toward the smoky tasting darker spirits and away from the sweet. I have to say, however that this rum was downright tasty just by itself served over some ice.  It certainly doesn’t taste as sweet as it looks which is a good thing.  On our last visit, Dave and I also took home some of the crisp cucumber gin which was divine in a classic martini.  Check out a recipe for a Knickerbocker on the recipe section of the blog using this gin.

Whistling Andy’s has a lovely tasting room for visitors to enjoy and if a distiller is on hand, a quick tour of the backroom distilling facility is an added treat.  The distilling process is fascinating and complicated.  (By backroom I don’t mean “backroom” as in a homemade still in the woods behind the building. It really is in the backroom).  The bartenders are quick with a few free samples or you can enjoy a well made cocktail for a fair price.  My visit began with a wonderful hot cider made with the moonshine. It was heavenly on a cold morning and I just get a huge thrill out of drinking anything with “moonshine” in it.  It makes me feel like I’m getting away with something. 

One of the best parts of Whistling Andy’s is that they are a true local establishment.  They use Montana grains in their liquors and use local distributors for any ingredients that can’t be found here. Unfortunately no one has figured out a way to grow sugarcane in Montana so the rum falls into this last category.  Since many good types of liquor need time to mature, I foresee Whistling Andy’s wares only improving with time. 

Notice the bottle is empty. This is not something that will sit on your shelf for too long.

Visit Whistling Andy’s at 8541 MT Hwy 35 in Bigfork. They are open seven days a week (don’t you love Montana?) from 11-7.  Visit them on the web to find out about events and where to find their liquors at http://www.whistlingandy.com/.