“All religion, all art, all finance, all business, every ship at sea, every bridge that spans the gulf, and every discovery in the great world of science owes its origin, its inception, and its first impulse to the exercise of that strange gift, imagination–a power to make images.”
– Francis Parkes Cadman
There’s a new whiskey rolling into town. It both represents and embodies a growing “custom culture” that will pique your interest and satisfy your palate. This is American Metal Whiskey.
American Metal: The Shop
What is it about driving a vehicle that captivates our imagination? The road itself is nothing more than simple asphalt and paint. Yet, no matter who you are or where you live, certain people are often transformed by what they drive and a stint on the road. There is something about peculiar about this experience of driving which cues our senses and yearns to connect us to something greater than ourselves. Just as the route we choose on our adventure is important, some people understand that this experience can be deepened, broadened, and enriched by the very vehicles we choose to make our trip. There is a remarkable difference in experience between one touring across the state driving a rented Toyota Camry versus taking command of a fully-restored 1968 Shelby GT-350.
There are those who are wholly devoted to the potential of making every trip an all-encompassing heart and soul experience; to match the man with the metal. Josh Allison, Chris Bishop, and Brian Stephenson are three such men who wear many hats. Josh is President of American Metal Customs, shop manager, custom builder and partner, while Chris is the CEO, and Brian is the Chief Brand Officer and partner. About a dozen others, each with their own unique skills and specialties, work together at the custom build shop, American Metal Customs, in Danbury, Connecticut. The list of industry awards earned by this crew and their designs is now long and distinguished.
Their custom shop focuses on three things: craftsmanship, functionality, and design. From the American Metal Customs website, “Building custom cars and motorcycles is our passion and our life’s work. We are deliberate in every choice we make, and every detail is considered so that our custom builds and restorations set the standard for quality, creativity, and drivability.” The artistry and attention to detail throughout are astonishing, with often dramatic results for their clients. Josh and his team have clearly empowered the human imagination.
Throughout my conversation with Josh, I came to understand that he is a skilled and passionate man who is focused on his mission to craft machines that become an encompassing artistic lifestyle. We could truthfully say that Josh is the personification of authenticity because he is “the real deal,” as the saying goes. The results of his vision and drive are apparent, and not only in the custom builds. Josh welcomes people to become participative in his work, in the American Metal lifestyle. Obviously this would include his clients, but also others. To facilitate and encourage this, the shop was designed with a well-appointed customer lounge where clients and friends can come and visit with everyone in the shop, partake in a drink, meet new people, and share ideas–or just hang out. Josh and members of his team travel all over to attend shows and events to meet people and show them what the custom metal lifestyle is all about.
Indeed his team members are as much true artisans as custom builders, operating more as an orchestra might with each person contributing their own specialty to breathe life into every individual build project. This is where cars and motorcycles are completely restored and transformed from their original design and purpose of simple transportation. With over a hundred combined years of experience, in their masterful hands these cars and bikes become unique instruments of creative expression. The end results of each of these transformations are not some dainty art sculptures on wheels replete with cheesy decals. American Metal creates machines which are bold and brawny, tough and sleek, and everything the original version wanted to be if it could have reached adulthood. When their customs leave the shop, they can be eventually found cruising on that canvas of simple asphalt, riding between sun-bleached painted lines where their drivers take center stage in an artistic exhibit in motion for the world to see. When “man and machine” come together, the result is nothing less than an exhibit of authentic performance art every time they ride.
A Custom Spirit
Creating a whiskey that exhibits the custom metal lifestyle was always the plan. It is certainly no surprise to their clients as well as whiskey fans that American Metal Whiskey is crafted with the very same ideals and standards as their custom builds in the shop. Formulating an authentic whiskey was a natural extension to complement and round out the lifestyle that is American Metal. Their custom builds are amazing, but even their drivers require a roadmap. So it was with the concept of American Metal Whiskey; the navigator for this part of their journey is Randy Carlson, CEO of Vermont Spirits. Randy has plenty of experience in the trade having worked for Diageo prior to taking the wheel at Vermont Spirits in 2020. He is also the COO of American Metal Whiskey and a partner.
American Metal Whiskey.
Their standard offering is 45 ABV, NAS (five years) and available in 750ml and 50ml bottlings. The 750ml is offered at $50 on their website.
From their website: “The slightly sweet, toasted-oak nose is confirmed on initial taste, with subtle vanilla and light caramel flavors accompanying a pleasing heat that follows. The high corn mash bill is apparent at the finish as the sweetness returns along with a lingering warmth that invites another taste.”
When I poured this into my Glencairn glass, I let it sit for five minutes or so to let it aspirate a bit. Its color is a pleasing tawny with a medium body. I wait patiently. Then, on the nose it indeed has notes of vanilla and a pleasant sweet character that is complex and difficult for me to pin down. Maybe even a tad bit of leather in there. Tasting it brings in the toasted bit of oak as well as that vanilla bean and caramel, but also some faint marzipan. It warms up the palate swiftly but there is no burn before a medium-long finish preceded by some fruit notes of berries and orange. This complex expression has an easy drinking mouthfeel that invites you to pour it often.
Vermont Spirits is located in Quechee, Vermont and produces a variety of high quality spirits; Vermont Gold, an 80 proof vodka distilled entirely from the sap of maple trees. Under the Coppers brand name they offer three excellent gin varieties, all distilled with wild Vermont juniper berries; a 90 proof Sugarwood Gin, an 85 proof American Style Gin, and a fine 85 proof Barrel Gin, which is a NAS double oak barrel finished product. Their signature item takes its title from the founding of the State of Vermont; No. 14 Bourbon Whiskey which is a reference to Vermont becoming the fourteenth state of the union. This bourbon expression is a NAS 90-proof which is finished with pure Vermont maple syrup.
Brian Stephenson was a mutual friend and introduced Josh to Randy because he knew that whiskey is Randy’s own passion. Vermont Spirits handle all the “nuts and bolts” of producing a whiskey such as licensure and all the rest. Randy ‘s primary role is focusing on the product itself, ensuring that it matches the high standards of craftsmanship, precision, and quality that is American Metal. Tasting this product myself, there can be no doubt that Randy knows exactly what he is doing.
I asked Randy how long it took to for the process of curating and crafting the perfect flavor profile with the right qualities for American Metal Whiskey. It was a rather long process. They started with around 30 initial samples, which were then narrowed to eight, then again to four. They wanted an expression which was a bit heavier on cereal than wood, and light on barley. Their primary product needed to be aged from four to five years.
American Metal presently has two fine whiskey expressions and an aggressive growth plan. Both of these are sourced from Tennessee with some aging taking place there, and then carefully aged longer in Vermont. Due to the vast dissimilarity in climate compared to Tennessee, the distillate ages in the barrel in a much different way; the resulting whiskey takes on its unique flavor profile. They determined a high-corn mash bill would suit, which eventually leaves the barrel at 114 to 116.5 proof; brought to a friendlier 90-proof with only distilled water.
It was never a consideration to present their whiskey to the public in the cheapest way possible, using the lowest common denominator in packaging. American Metal’s packaging is an integral design component of custom expression as well. From the quality and shape of the glass, the detail on the cork stopper, and the magnificent label, they have carefully crafted their bottle to become the only vessel properly fit for their brand. The curved, broad shoulders of the bottle highlight the rich, deep amber color of the spirit, while a thick glass bottom is thoughtfully employed to balance the weight of the full bottle and prevent it from being top heavy. The handsome label design appears as though it was created in the shop alongside any one of their custom builds, deeply embossed with details that create continuity with an authentic customs lifestyle in attractive gold, silver, and black. Motifs of cars, engines, and car parts are artfully placed into the designs. The message summarized is unapologetically American; each bottle clearly states, “GOD BLESS AMERICA” at the bottom of the back label.
American Metal Whiskey.
Their standard offering is 45 ABV, NAS (five years) and available in 750ml and 50ml bottlings. The 750ml is offered at $50 on their website.
From their website: “The slightly sweet, toasted-oak nose is confirmed on initial taste, with subtle vanilla and light caramel flavors accompanying a pleasing heat that follows. The high corn mash bill is apparent at the finish as the sweetness returns along with a lingering warmth that invites another taste.”
When I poured this into my Glencairn glass, I let it sit for five minutes or so to let it aspirate a bit. Its color is a pleasing tawny with a medium body. I wait patiently. Then, on the nose it indeed has notes of vanilla and a pleasant sweet character that is complex and difficult for me to pin down. Maybe even a tad bit of leather in there. Tasting it brings in the toasted bit of oak as well as that vanilla bean and caramel, but also some faint marzipan. It warms up the palate swiftly but there is no burn before a medium-long finish preceded by some fruit notes of berries and orange. This complex expression has an easy drinking mouthfeel that invites you to pour it often.
American Metal 10-Year Whiskey.
The second expression is a ten-year-aged single barrel expression, 48 ABV, available in 750ml bottles. Randy tells me this is a limited edition “small run” with less than 200 bottles made per barrel release. The bottles are each numbered by hand; mine is bottle number 56 from batch 2. It retails for $214 on their website.
From the American Metal Whiskey website: “Rich color reflects the decade of aging in new charred oak barrels. Initial nose is a sweet aromatic mix of caramel, toast, corn, and butterscotch. Creamy mouthfeel and light sweetness opens to light cherry, roasted vanilla, and dark honey notes. Wonderfully light and rising residual finish reminiscent of much older scotch whiskies. Unexpectedly subtle and rewarding, well-balanced, and inviting of a second taste.”
Pouring this one into the glass, there are certainly differences in character compared to the first expression. The color is a slightly darker auburn and the body is more robust. No doubt due to more time in the wood and a little bump in proof. After letting is stand for a bit, I swirl in the glass and the attractive color yields a pleasing bouquet of more complex notes; the oak is muted by caramel. On the palate it presents that oakiness, but it is relaxed while notes of raisin and fig, caramel, and vanilla jostle for position. Some faint spiciness of clove is detected before a pleasant ride of a finish. This expression is certainly complex and will have you rediscovering its nuances with every batch.
American Metal Whiskey is currently available in shops, bars, and restaurants in seven states and they are partnered with Libdib, an online distributor. It can be ordered directly from their own website as well. Apparently there are some exciting and super-secret plans which they would not give me a scoop on…yet. I hope to be their first call when they are ready to dish the details.
Conclusion
In the 1950’s the Cold War was raging, spy craft was a focus, and the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union was just ramping up. All of these matters were dependent upon rapid advancement in technology. In December, 1950, author Isaac Asimov’s book, I, Robot, was published. He envisioned the ultimate outcome of this march of technology and composed a cautionary tale which serves as a cultural warning of the potential for future conflict between man and his machines; machines replacing man, sanitizing life expression, and usurping the very humanity of mankind. Certainly Asimov was a forward thinking man who was far ahead of his time. Stanley Kubrick would later amplify these same concerns in 1968 with his film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Indeed, this very issue is in the news today as Artificial Intelligence has now become a reality.
What Josh Allison and his whole team have accomplished is just the opposite of what Asimov warned about. Their precision restoration work and their meticulously crafted machines continue to deliberately and properly position machines as an extension of mankind’s imagination and an expression of mankind’s natural yearning for connection to the world we live in. None of these creations could happen without their human touch. In the vibrant custom culture that is American Metal, man and machine–and their whiskey– ultimately become one single synergetic expression which engages all of the human senses at once. The result is an encompassing lifestyle expressed through human-machine hybrid, fashioned in raw elegance which Artificial Intelligence cannot master. Here is something for you to ponder the next time you pour up a dram of American Metal Whiskey.
The shop: https://www.americanmetalcustoms.com/
The whiskey: https://americanmetalwhiskey.com/
