Locals have been enjoying still looting from the Winter Park Distillation Company since 2010, but thought Covid-19 was knocked out of the game when the dual public house, home to the Bear & Peacock Brewery, closed the doors on Orange Avenue.
But it was only from their more visible locations.
“We were the anchor business for that location,” says Paul Twyford, co-founder of the space just behind the original location of Foxtail Coffee. “It didn’t make sense for us to pay all of it when we couldn’t be open, so we moved to an ugly warehouse that we had struggled and were invisible and caring for the past few years.”
Do you think the whiskey is neat? Drink as you like on whiskey days around the world
Fans know that behind the bar at the local facility, including greedy pigs at the Bonfire Clubhouse at Pines Golf Club in the winter, as their products were still available in some locations.
However, just recently, Winter Park Distillery created something that appears to be returning from the grave.
And the Imperial and old-fashioned signature of Park On Park will be one gorgeous $25 zombie.
It was all craft hacks for his longtime partner Andrew Usher and their old friends John Washburn and Winter Parker.
The newest version of Imperial’s latest Imperial (an old one that was closed in 2023 and walked straight to Park Avenue’s new spot) initially served only beer and wine, but Twyford and Usher licensed the space as the second location of the distillery, allowing the workaround to start erupting like the Imperial spirit.
However, the single barrel bear reserve bourbon ($80 bottle retail) is the distillery’s flagship spirit and has won multiple awards at the festival since 2014. (You can get it, and lesser bonfire bourbons, especially if your bourbon likes less… adultery, like Twyford.)
They’re also doing great things as stones are being dumped in the Forward/Slash Distillery and Blending House, and are planning an exciting drop for Bourbon Heritage Month on September 26th with the new Quintessium. But here, spirit is a blend of cleverness cultivated all over the country.
Aside from the minimum 51% corn content that spirit requires to be called bourbon, it must be made in American soil.
“But that doesn’t just mean Kentucky,” notes Michael Buffer, co-founder of F/S and whiskey blender.
His partner, co-founder and whiskey maker Tim Bradstreet continues.
“People know big players like Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace, but few people know that small Kentucky producers like Wisconsin’s J. Henry & Sons or MB Roland, or Finger Lakes, which distill from upstate New York, on the shores of Lake Seneca, are distilled.
Brad Street says it’s all singular.
“Michael and I have many single barrel varieties in the house…and I want to describe them like a really good three-piece band. That’s great. You can sing to the music. You have a good time.
Similarly, Twyford says that each craft distillery that makes single barrels that Bourbon goes straight from oak barrels to glass bottles, with few people pay attention to the location of bourbon age, as there is little way for terroir to be discussed in wine. But that makes a huge difference.
“The Garrison brothers make great bourbons in Hay, Texas, where they are hot and dry all year round, so they lose a lot of volume in what they call “angel share” (evaporation through the barrel). Just like inside, they lose evidence, generally enter 115 and appear on 107. ”
Dispersion. It’s one of the bourbon lovers and one of those on the path to becoming one. Private forward/slash tastings will help you move on your journey, but the staff there are ready to meet you where you are. So does Imperial team.
cocktail. ice. It’s neat. Anything.
“Everyone has a starting point,” says Buffa.
“We encourage them on their journey and enjoy it… We want to be uplifted and celebrated wherever they are.
Do you want to reach out to me? Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @Amydroo or the Osfoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun, join Let’s Eat and Orlando Facebook Group.
If you’re going
Imperial Park: 136 S. Park Ave. in Winter Park, 321-972-9294; ImperialWinebar.com
Forward/Slash Distillery & Blending House: 650 S. Capen Ave. in Winter Park; drinkforwardslash.com
