Kansas City, Mo. — As it celebrates its fifth year in business this December, the Kansas City-based Lifted Spirits has unveiled its limited-release Straight Wheat Whiskey in partnership with neighboring brewery Torn Label Brewing Co.
The special-edition whiskey, the second product of Lifted Spirits’ ongoing lab release series, was created using Torn Label’s House Brew — a coffee wheat stout — and then distilled and then aged in new American oak barrels, cellared at Lifted Spirits over the course of three years. The Straight Wheat Whiskey balances hops and bitterness with the rich, sweet notes of malted dark chocolate, toffee and fig — a robust and sweetly balanced spirit perfect for the holiday season. Four hundred bottles of the Straight Wheat Whiskey will be available to the public starting Dec. 8.
“This partnership with Torn Label is a unique collaboration that demonstrates the creative, artistic nature of the East Crossroads Arts District and the exciting development that’s happening there,” said Lifted Spirits founder and CEO Michael Stuckey. “Kansas City’s artists and artisans are making high-quality products that really highlight what creativity and cooperation bring to artistic expression.”
The partnership with Torn Label is one that dates back to Lifted Spirits’ inception in 2016, and the two businesses intend to collaborate on future releases.
“We’ve always been huge fans of Lifted Spirits here at Torn Label, so working together was a no brainer,” said Torn Label’s co-founder and COO Travis Moore. “When Michael and I first talked about distilling a batch of beer, we both gravitated toward something dark with a solid base malt profile for whiskey making. With both our fondness for wheated whiskeys, the 50% wheat base on Torn Label’s flagship House Brew coffee stout just made sense. We’re thrilled to see this project finally come to fruition after a long maturation period that really delivers the whiskey experience we’re both looking for. Over the years, we sampled the barrels on and off before deciding everything was just right, and now we have a product we’re super proud to offer beer and whiskey fans alike.”
At its five-year milestone, Lifted Spirits has plenty to celebrate: The distillery has seen a significant revenue increase year over year alongside the establishment of a distinct footprint within Kansas City’s highly populated distillation scene. Its ongoing, limited-release Lab Series — which recently produced a Rum-Barreled Gin (called R.B.G.) with notes of pineapple, honeysuckle, juniper, citrus, caramelized banana and cinnamon — reflects Lifted Spirits’ earnest commitment to creating unique, original, botanical-based spirits.
This passion for the craft of distillation has been a defining factor of Lifted Spirits’ identity over the past five years — and its success. While its first love is Kansas City, Lifted Spirits has also expanded to other markets in the region as it’s hit its operational stride. Over the next five years, Lifted Spirits plans to continue to chart that growth trajectory in and outside of Kansas City.
“As we’ve grown and as we’ve taken the time to look at where we’ve been, we’ve been able to return to our roots, which is the creative, ingredient-driven side of spirits,” Stuckey said. “We craft all of our spirits with that highly creative, atmospheric and experiential approach in mind. We’ve also been able to focus on building local community partnerships — not just as spirits lovers, but as Kansas Citians who want to contribute to the growth of our city.”
About Lifted Spirits Distillery
Located in the East Crossroads, Lifted Spirits Distillery is a Kansas City-based distillery with an experimental approach to classic spirits. Founded in 2016, Lifted Spirits tinkers with tradition to create top-tier, imaginative products using the highest-quality botanical ingredients. The Tasting Room at the distillery serves cocktails and spirits five nights a week in a lively and upbeat atmosphere.
For More Information:
http://www.liftedspiritskc.com