Food & Drink Awards 2020

Page 50 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Food & Drink Awards As a locally owned distillery, Alpine Distilling have created delicious spirits that capture the true spirit of life since the beginning. To start, Sara begins by giving us a brief overview of the firm and offers more of an insight into some of the firm’s specialisms. “As a husband and wife team located in the beautiful mountain town of Park City, Utah, we typically craft in-house gin, whiskey and liqueurs. Having moved to the area in 2011, we instantly developed a passion for the world-class resort town and from there we wanted to nurture a business that complemented Summit County’s many accolades. Most of the time myself and Rob find ourselves actively pursuing the sourcing, testing, and purchasing of the finest raw materials in the world. From the outset, Alpine Distilling has always been 100% natural and to ensure our customers receive the best service, we maintain our OU Kosher certification and green business license. At the heart, we are a botanical company, we seek to innovate in our blends, leveraging our education and experiences to produce spirits that are both timeless and modern.” The wine and spirits industry is a fiercely competitive one to operate in, particularly in the United States when you consider the sheer geographical size of the country. In the state of Utah where many of the firm’s competitors are based, the team at Alpine Distilling have worked particularly hard alongside their clients to deliver an outstanding service as Sara explains further. “Naturally, our customers value transparency, especially where we have invested and committed to the right equipment to produce the right spirits. In this competitive environment we have also discovered success by following a simple set of core values. As a team, we value the outdoors and the effects of nature and we would like to Established in 2016, Alpine Distilling is a craft distillery located in Park City, Utah. Following their recent success in the Food & Drink Awards 2020, we touched base with Sara and Rob Sergent to find out more about why Alpine Distilling was recognized as the Craft Spirit Distillery of the Year – Utah. Sep20258 Alpine Distilling Craft Spirit Distillery of the Year - Utah think our craft spirits best reflect those values. Creating the spirits our clients demand gives us a huge amount of satisfaction and it is further proof our client-focused approach is working.” As a duo, Sara and Rob are both extremely knowledgeable and experienced in the spirits industry, and as she discusses their backgrounds in more detail, its apparent their respective journeys have put them in good stead. “Rob is a multi-generational master distiller (the first in his family to professionally distill) and an Executive Bourbon Steward with a culinary background. Prior to establishing Alpine Distilling, he held high level positions with Johnson & Johnson and the National Football League. Having crafted from scratch and distilled the Alpine Collection, each product is gold medal+ winning and internationally recognised. “Alongside Rob, I made my first gin in Edinburgh, Scotland and followed that with gin distilling at Alpine. Crafting the private label gin for St. Regis “Barrel Select” (Which won gold in London at the Women’s Wine & Spirits Competition 2019), I now manage the Alpine Gin with Rob which has won double gold medals multiple times, and the highest ranked US Gin at the World Spirits Competition. At the front of American gin movement, my botanical expertise can be seen through Alpine’s custom gins. In 2019 I completed my diploma in gin in Scotland.” Bringing the interview to a close, Sara signs off by highlighting the future of the business, outlining its priorities moving forward to the remainder of 2020 and beyond. “Looking ahead, we want to maintain our growth and success. With us currently experiencing an increased demand for custom botanical blends and private whiskey barrels, much of our focus will obviously be in this area. It is our hope this recognition is just the start of a long and very successful journey.” Company: Alpine Distilling Contact: Sara & Rob Sergent Web Address: www.alpinedistilling.com