Private Bourbon for the Public

Taconic Distillery, founded by Paul and Carol Coughlin in 2010 in Dutchess County’s Stanfordville, was the result of a midlife change for the couple. “My family and I purchased land in the Hudson Valley and were looking for a way to farm or make use of it,” Paul says.

Since then, Westchester residents have enjoyed making the drive up to Taconic’s tasting room on the weekends. Now, they can also imbibe private-reserve bourbons from Bedford Hills’ Vine & Co. Intent on expanding its brand, Taconic started the collaboration with Vine & Co. last year, with Reserve bourbon, and has since branched out to selling a double-barrel bourbon whiskey with maple syrup. Bourbon, which must be aged in new American oak barrels for a minimum of two years, gets its flavor from the char of the barrel. Taconic and Vine & Co. sampled bourbons from different barrels to get the taste the store can call its own.

For Vine & Co., having private-reserve bourbon reinforces the fact that they are passionate and knowledgeable about the spirit, says assistant manager Ian Hutchens. “Our customers appreciate that Taconic is a local distillery, and since we had a hand in the process, we’re able to talk about the taste,” he notes. Hutchens describes the bourbon as “sweet and mellow, with undertones of holiday spices.”