BLACK WHISKEY
History
Our history in Peru dates back to the 1950’s. It started in mining and petroleum and shifted to finance and construction. The evolution of Don Michael has encompassed many years and geographically most of Peru. Today, the third generation of our family is introducing a new chapter totally unlike anything before. Built and operated by Michael Kuryla, Don Michael is The Andean Distillery producing Black Whiskey. It is unique. Here at Don Michael we believe in using only the best. From our Andean Black Corn and imported Malted Grains to our American white oak barrels we use the best of the best to provide the world with excellence.
ORIGIN
Although sometimes called the “Water of Life” in Gaelic, the true origins of whiskey remain shrouded in mystery. Black whiskey and the idea to use Andean Black Corn comes from the ancient Andean technique of making a homemade beer called chichajora. We at Don Michael have refined this process, added malted grains to smooth out the flavor, and implemented a state-of-the-art distillation facility to provide the world with a unique Andean Whiskey in the form of Black Whiskey.
1. Grain Selection & Milling
It all starts when our master distiller selects the Andean black corn, specially grown for us by local farmers. In addition to corn, we add wheat and malted barley, imported from the United States. At Don Michael, we use only the best quality ingredients with complete traceability from grain to glass.
2. Mashing and Malting
Our water is sourced directly from the Andean mountain range through aquifers that purify the water, making it the perfect choice for our whiskey. Once the malted barley is added, we use proprietary techniques to extract and convert the starch from the grains to get them ready for fermentation.
3. Fermenting
During fermentation, the yeast we import from White Labs in the United States, transforms the sugars in our mash into alcohol. As the process progresses, our mash changes from an intense purple color to a beautiful red, one of the first indicators that we are ready for distillation.
4. Distilling
The fermented mash is pumped into a pot still. The first step in the process is a stripping run, followed by a slow and easy spirits distillation. This method of double distillation is essential for creating our unique whiskey, without sacrificing flavor.
5. Barreling
After distillation, we fill smaller than typical sized imported American white oak barrels made by Kelvin Cooperage, as well as some specially designed honeycomb barrels by Black Swan Cooperage. Unlike traditional distilleries, we fill our barrels of whiskey at less than 120 proof. This allows for shorter aging times and by the time it is fnished, we add less water than other whiskey makers before bottling.
6. Aging
Once the barrels are filled, they are stored for aging. We are lucky to have a relatively
hot climate with temperature fluctuations that help our spirits get the most out of the time in the barrels. In addition, we use smaller barrels than most distilleries. Rather than use the standard 53-gallon barrels, we use ten and twenty-five gallon barrels which allows our whiskey to attain maturity in less time.
7. Bottling
Our master distiller decides when a barrel is ready for bottling. With his go ahead, the whiskey is transferred, filtered and bottled, ready for you to drink. This is our masterpiece, we are proud of it and hope you enjoy the first Andean Whiskey in the world.
PIC1&2 was our DIRECTOR OF IMPORTS, Amanda, ANDEAN BLACK Whisky's DIRECTOR-Michael Kuryla & his wife Daiana
