Biltmore Winery partners with Noble Cider, Chemist Spirits on new hard cider, malt whiskey

ASHEVILLE ― Two new craft beverages evoking the spirit of the winter season and the WNC region are now available for sipping and toasting.

Biltmore Estate has branched out from winemaking to concoct an exclusive hard cider and single malt whiskey with an independent area cidery and distillery.

Biltmore and Noble Cider have partnered to create the Biltmore Blue Ridge Hard Cider, a spiced apple hard cider.

The new release coincides with the rollout of Biltmore’s second recent collaborative product with Chemist Spirits, a single malt whiskey.

“The thing that’s really exciting to me is the Biltmore is this institution that’s been in Asheville forever. I grew up here, so Biltmore is this big thing,” said Leif Stevens, founder and cidermaker of Noble Cider. “Also, orchards are a big part of this area. So, the union of Biltmore having a special cider using apples from the local orchards is bringing that full circle.”

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Biltmore Blue Ridge Hard Cider

Nearly a decade ago, Biltmore began carrying Noble Cider products at its properties after the cidery was founded in 2012, Stevens said.

“We were the first in this area and they were really one of our first accounts. With the growth of cider, it’s amazing that we’re still there and we’re fortunate that they’ve kept us on this whole time,” Stevens said. “We thought it would be cool and special to do something either with Biltmore or for the Biltmore, so we started talking to them about different collaboration ideas.”

Stevens and Biltmore’s winemaker Sharon Fenchak worked together to create a recipe that embodies both companies, appeals to clientele, and showcases the regionally sourced ingredients.

It’s also a nod to Biltmore’s past cidermaking traditions. According to a Biltmore representative, the estate “once had orchards that produced over twenty varieties of apples for the house’s kitchen and for cider.”

For the Biltmore Blue Ridge Hard Cider, many tastings of various juice blends and finished cider were conducted to pinpoint the ideal flavor profile, Stevens said. Ultimately, they decided to go in the direction of a spiced apple cider.

“This being winter, apples and spice go together really well," Stevens said. "This is a slightly spiced cider, and the apples are a special blend from our orchard ― we partner with Lewis Creek Farm.”

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Noble Cider operates a juicing company through the Hendersonville farm and sources apples from its orchard. Trey Enloe, of Lewis Creek Farm, selected the apple blend that was pressed to make the cider.

Noble Cider’s designer Dena Rutter and Biltmore's in-house design team collaborated on the can’s label, too.

Currently, Noble Cider’s Biltmore Blue Ridge Hard Cider is available at Biltmore Winery and select dining locations at Biltmore and Noble Cider taprooms at 356 New Leicester Hwy and 49 Rankin Ave in Asheville.

In a few weeks, distribution is slated to begin in retail stores across the state. The hard cider will be available in 12 oz. 4-pack cans for $16.

Only one recipe could be chosen but some of the other trials showed potential that the companies may later tap into.

“There were a lot of other ideas that came forward out of that, too, so we’re hoping some of those turn into products down the road, as well,” Stevens said.

Biltmore Single Malt Whiskey

Earlier this year, Chemist Spirits, an artisan Prohibition-era distillery, and Biltmore released a limited-edition Biltmore Conservatory Rose Gin, made with rose petals from the estate’s gardens.

Now, Chemist Spirits is offering the Biltmore Single Malt Whiskey at its Asheville bar, Antidote, and for retail sale. It's also available by the pour at Biltmore.

Biltmore Winery and the craft distillery used Calypso barley grown at the estate that was then aged in new oak barrels and finished in Biltmore Sangiovese barrels, which gives the single malt whiskey an “elegant rose-gold tint.”

A goal was to capture “the timeless elegance of America’s finest and most legendary estate.”

“Biltmore single malt whiskey is an heirloom-quality whiskey with an artful flavor profile that is smooth yet complex. This hand-crafted whiskey is designed to enjoy neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail,” Debbie Word, founder, owner and distiller at Chemist Spirits, said in a news release. “The collaborative expressions we’ve released with Biltmore to date, including our best-selling Biltmore Conservatory Rose Gin, demonstrate a strong creative partnership and a shared dedication to exceptional craftsmanship and quality.”

Butterscotch and caramelized sugar lead the flavor profile followed by notes of maple syrup, pralines, candied pecans, dates, and syrupy stewed plums. Soft fruits, dried apricots, honey and vanilla sugar are in the mix to complement the spices. It’s also described to have a “lingering fine-ground pepper and polished oak on the finish.”

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The Biltmore Single Malt Whiskey has a 47% ABV and is $90 per bottle. A limited number of cases are available. Bottles may be pre-ordered online at chemistspirits.com/Biltmore-single-malt.

“Biltmore is thrilled to come together again with Chemist Spirits to introduce Biltmore single malt whiskey, which is created for whiskey connoisseurs and collectors alike,” Heather Jordan, Director of Marketing, Biltmore Wine Company, said in a news release. “The care that Chemist Spirits takes into crafting exceptional products, including the annual release of Biltmore Conservatory Rose Gin and now this limited-edition single malt whiskey, mirrors Biltmore’s commitment to excellence. We’re excited to give consumers another taste of our award-winning collaboration.”

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Biltmore Estate, Noble Cider, Chemist Spirit release new drinks