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Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded WhistlePig?
Like many great American ventures, WhistlePig began with a bold vision. In 2007, co-founder Wilco Faessen and a small group of partners purchased a run-down dairy farm in Vermont with the dream of creating something truly exceptional. After countless sleepless nights exploring different possibilities, they committed to their shared passion: whiskey.To bring this vision to life, Wilco partnered with legendary Master Distiller David Pickerell. Together, they made a daring bet—investing in 10-year-aged rye whiskey at a time when the spirit was still flying under the radar in the U.S. market. David meticulously sourced premium aged Canadian rye, which was then proofed and bottled on the Vermont WhistlePig Farm.That gamble paid off. The result was the launch of WhistlePig’s flagship 10-Year Rye Whiskey, marking the beginning of a new chapter in American whiskey.
Where is Whistlepig Whiskey made?
WhistlePig is proudly American. We’re founded, headquartered, and our distilling operation is on our farm in Shoreham, Vermont.Like any great venture, we strive to be the best and source the best ingredients from around the world. Of those sources, we discovered some of the best rye being grown globally just over the border in Canada. We have taken that distilled rye and finished, blended, and bottled it right here on the farm in Vermont.
Today, we’ve grown into a true field-to-bottle operation, producing much of our whiskey on-site, including rye grown right on our Vermont estate. WhistlePig is and has always been an American whiskey brand.
Why rye?
Rye is a stubborn grain that is not for the faint of heart, however, those who succeed in the tricky mashing, fermentation and distillation process are rewarded greatly. Rye presents an incomparable flavor profile that is bold, smooth and incredibly complex. We firmly believe that rye holds the greatest potential of all distilling grains, unmatched in flavor. Not to mention that rye is America’s original drink – President George Washington was known to distill rye on his Mount Vernon property.
Where is the WhistlePig distillery?
In the fall of 2015, WhistlePig officially opened its distillery on a 500-acre, renovated dairy farm in Shoreham, Vermont. The construction involved raising the original 150 year old, run down cow barn, making room for stills, fermenters, mash cookers, and more. Come October, our first 750 gallon hybrid still, The Mortimer, was installed – and so began the limitless potential of WhistlePig Vermont Estate Distilled Rye. In doing so, we became one of the few whiskey companies to house every aspect of the whiskey making process in one place, from harvesting our rye fields, mashing, fermenting, distilling, barreling, aging, and bottling.
Can I visit the farm & distillery?
The farm is not currently open to the public. However- we do have a tasting room very close by, in Quechee VT.
Learn more about our Whiskey Tasting Rooms.Where can I find WhistlePig near me?
To purchase our premier rye whiskey, check out our online Store Locator.
We currently distribute in over 25 states (and growing), and we’re constantly updating the Locator with new information – so check back soon. If you still can’t find a nearby location, or if you’re interested in getting WhistlePig overseas, send us a message at info@whistlepigrye.com.
Where did the name “WhistlePig” come from?
Technically speaking, a whistlepig is a marmot — also known as a groundhog, ruckchuck, rock chuck, hill pig, land beaver, earth hog (feel free to pick your favorite). — famous for its whistle and stubborn personality. Not quite a pig, but close enough in spirit.
Of course, we’ve taken a few liberties over the years. A proud lineage of kunekune pigs now presides over the WhistlePig Farm & Distillery. Today’s Chief Pig, Mortimer Jr., is the esteemed descendant of our original porcine mascots, Mortimer and Mauve. They’ve never distilled a drop, but their leadership is unquestioned.We get it — WhistlePigs aren’t your bacon-carrying kind of pig. But we’ve never claimed to play by the book. Somewhere along the way, the name WhistlePig stuck. And it’s become our reminder that great whiskey should be fun, not formal, and that we should never take ourselves too seriously.
