A Certification for Estate Whiskey Is Here — What It Means and Why It Matters

Cornfields at the Bentley Ranch of Minden Mill Distilling in Minden Mill, Nevada. (Photo: David Morrow/Bottle Raiders)

A new certification program for estate distillation — a rising trend in the whiskey world — was introduced Tuesday by the University of Kentucky’s Estate Whiskey Alliance®. Estate Whiskey Certified™ is an authentication mark that will appear on qualifying whiskey labels, offering consumers a way to identify spirits made entirely at a single distillery using locally grown grains.

Estate whiskey is produced using grains sourced from the estate or its surrounding area, with every stage of production — milling, cooking, fermentation, distillation, aging and bottling — taking place on-site. The certification program aims to ensure transparency and authenticity in whiskey production.

“The EWA and our members place utmost priority in authenticity and transparency into the entire farming and whiskey production process,” EWA Director Landon Borders said in a news release. “This certification program aims to clearly label those Estate Whiskey Certified™ products to assure consumers of the exceptional craftsmanship and terroir behind every sip.”

Setting a Standard for Estate Whiskey

To qualify for the Estate Whiskey Certified mark, whiskey products must meet strict criteria:

• Every step of production, from milling to bottling, must occur on the estate.
• At least two-thirds of the grains in the mash bill must come from land owned or controlled by the distillery.
• Only products that meet these requirements can display the certification logo, signaling to consumers that the whiskey inside reflects its place of origin.

Why Certification Matters

Distillers emphasize the importance of locally sourced ingredients in shaping a spirit’s character.

“As farmers and distillers, one of our primary objectives is to bring this topic front and center,” Frey Ranch Distillery co-founder Colby Frey said. “By joining the Estate Whiskey Alliance, we hope to further educate bartenders, retailers, and consumers on the importance and relevance of U.S. agriculture and locally grown grains to the production of American whiskey.”

Crucially, the certification provides a unified industry standard, ensuring consistency in how the term “estate whiskey” is used. This avoids the possibility of it becoming a buzzword that doesn’t have a designated meaning, like “small batch.”

“It legitimizes our messaging as a standard across the industry,” said Pat Brophy, vice president of sales and distribution at Whiskey Acres Distilling Co. “An industry-wide standard that can be promoted becomes the thing customers recognize and accept as a mark of quality.”

A Commitment to Transparency and Sustainability

The EWA emphasizes three core values: transparency, sustainability and the flavor of place (the latter sounds like a way to say “terroir” without stepping on the wine world’s toes). Founding members of the EWA, including Maker’s Mark, see the certification as a way to highlight the relationship between whiskey and its natural environment.

“At Maker’s Mark, we have long recognized the inextricable link between flavor and nature,” said Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Blake Layfield, Ph.D. “We are honored to be a founding member of the EWA, working to forge a more sustainable future and enhance the prestige of American whiskey.”

Other early adopters of estate distilling see the program as a safeguard against misuse of the term “estate.”

“A certification program will help ensure that consumers receive the transparency and authenticity they expect,” Minden Mill Distilling Master Distiller Joe O’Sullivan said.

The EWA says the first Estate Whiskey Certified™ bottles should begin to hit shelves in the coming months.

About the Estate Whiskey Alliance

The EWA, launched in 2024 by the University of Kentucky and UK Innovate, will continue investing in research and education in agriculture, manufacturing and sustainability to shape the future of estate whiskey production.

For distilleries interested in joining the certification program or EWA, click here.