Hillrock Estate Distillery in the Northern Hudson Valley captures the beauty of the region while turning out plenty of bourbon, rye, and single malt whiskey.
The Hudson Valley Craft Whiskey Trail
September 30, 2019 –––––– Adam Polonski
Washington Irving and the painters of the Hudson River School immortalized the natural beauty, bountiful farmland, pastoral landscapes, and unique culture of New York's Hudson Valley. And each year, as over 100 species of trees show off their autumnal finest, throngs of visitors come to experience the perennial spectacle of the northeast. The Hudson Valley is defined by the Hudson River, as it flows 300 miles from the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York down to New York Harbor, where it meets the ocean. South of Albany, the river passes through a region rightly famed for its small towns, farm stands, even top restaurants. While the fall foliage never grows old for dedicated leaf peepers, the newest attraction on the menu is homegrown American whiskey.
With well over a dozen distilleries, including names like Tuthilltown and Hillrock Estate, the Hudson Valley's open spaces and agricultural roots have led many distillers—some of them farmers themselves—to reap the land's bounty. Our guide to the Hudson Valley in autumn covers the area's hotspots for fall foliage, whiskey, and everything in between. The meandering valley offers enough to occupy an afternoon, a long weekend, or a lifetime, so pick a region or two and prepare to fall in love.
With well over a dozen distilleries, including names like Tuthilltown and Hillrock Estate, the Hudson Valley's open spaces and agricultural roots have led many distillers—some of them farmers themselves—to reap the land's bounty. Our guide to the Hudson Valley in autumn covers the area's hotspots for fall foliage, whiskey, and everything in between. The meandering valley offers enough to occupy an afternoon, a long weekend, or a lifetime, so pick a region or two and prepare to fall in love.