When I traveled to Salt Lake City — where I knew a large percentage of the population would be Mormon — I wasn’t sure what to expect when it came to alcoholic beverages. (Mormons, also known as Latter Day Saints, don’t drink alcohol or caffeine.) I certainly didn’t expect fantastic local whiskeys and sake, but that’s exactly what I found on my excursions to taste some local spirits!

Tsuki Sake

Meet Jillian Watanabe – the Sake Sommelier & Brewer Apprentice of Tsuki Sake! Jill is a half-Japanese Salt Lake City local who wanted to share her passion for sake with the community. I was fortunate enough to experience a sake/food tasting with her.

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage that is brewed using water, rice, yeast, and koji (the mold that helps with fermentation). It is typically categorized as wine due to similar ABV content and serving methods. But there is so much more to learn about sake and its place in Japanese culture.

Sake Tasting

We were treated to delicious sake/food pairings as Jill explained the different processes and flavors we would enjoy.

I wished my daughter-in-law was there with me. She is a huge fan of all things Japanese and is a sake aficionado. I could have used her insights as we were tasting these high-octane sakes, both warm and cold. I texted the menu of sakes to her and she immediately filled me in on which varieties she liked most and many more details that were lost to me the more I imbibed. All I really wanted to know was which sake to buy for her because they were all delicious to me, but I knew she would have a favorite.

Aha! I was in luck!

Still, my choices weren’t easy. I knew she’d like them all and I thought the pocket sakes were so cute and clever. Then the sake made me wonder why “pocket” items are such a theme in Japan?? I’ll have to ask her when I give her the Tsuki Sake I chose.

Luckily, I can order more online, because I needed to save room in my luggage for whiskey, too!

High West

My next excursion was to High West Distillery in Park City. The views were breathtaking! What an incredible place to sit and relax with a glass of whiskey. I’ve been to many distilleries (bourbon and whiskey), but none had this rugged beauty.

But first, the tour and tasting!

Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting

I have become pretty familiar with bourbon and whiskey distillery tours. They all follow a similar process, but I enjoy hearing about the person and inspiration behind one’s desire to create a new label. High West was the lovechild of a couple named David and Jane Perkins. David put his biochemistry background into play after exploring bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Excellent inspiration, David!

We learned about the grains and the stills used in production. High West sources locally, so I was eager to taste the influence of local grains. All the grain used to distill High West whiskey is sourced from local producers within a day’s drive of the distillery. Then, after distillation, the used grain is sent to an anaerobic digester where bacteria breaks it down to produce methane gas that helps power the Salt Lake City electrical grid. 👍

We were taken into their storage room where the barrels age for years. I noticed that the barrels were stacked upright; I usually see them stored on their sides. I asked whether there was a reason they stored them upright? Yes — limited space.

Okay. I had no more questions. I was ready for the tasting!

We had generous pours of four different award-winning whiskeys. We were encouraged to start from the left as the tastes would intensify as we moved along. All were very good, but my favorite was the Campfire. It was very smoky, which I don’t typically choose, but it transported me to a feeling of sitting around a campfire and I could just imagine sipping a glass outside with those gorgeous mountain views.

I loved having the opportunity to enjoy two very different Utah spirit brands. Tasting local food and drinks is one of the highlights of traveling for me. Finding such inspired spirits in an area that isn’t exactly known for its brewing industry was an unexpected treat. Salt Lake City and Utah kept surprising me. So much to explore!

Do you look for local specialties/flavors during your travels?