Located in Portland, Oregon, Indio Spirits Distillery was incorporated through the vision of CEO John Ufford in 2004. In the following year, well respected spirits industry professional Robert G. Turner joined as President and Partner. Starting with 3 signature vodkas, they worked tirelessly, striving to bring new and top quality products to market. Working in association with the Snake River Stampede Rodeo, Snake River Stampede Canadian Whisky was produced in 2006, starting down the path of many award-winning whiskeys. Since 2006, Indio has raised the bar both locally and nationally with a unique array of specialty products and National award-winning whiskeys. Indio continues to produce top quality spirits while providing the best value to our customers.
(John Ufford to the Left)
John, tell us a bit about yourself. How did you find yourself in the world of whiskey?
JU: I oversaw all beverage for a local brew pub/distillery/winery for 14 years and wanted to make vodka. The owners decided to make only whiskey and brandies, 4 years later, in 2004 I started Indio Spirits. My 3rd year I decided I needed to get in the whiskey game, first with Snake River Stampede Canadian. 2013 I added James Oliver Rye Whiskey, 2014 James Oliver American Whiskey, 2015 Chute 8 American Whiskey, Snake River Stampede 1915, and in 2016 Ghost Owl and Ghost Owl Rye.
What was your vision for Indio Spirits? Did it start off as a business venture or a hobby, maybe both?
JU: I always wanted to compete with the big brands in price but with better quality. I feel the big brands spend so much money on marketing that they have lessened the true quality of their products. I wanted it as a real business, never a hobby.
What challenges (if any) did you come across when first starting out? What advice can you give to others looking to get into this business?
JU: Selling was a lot harder than I envisioned and it is more expensive than I thought. Get help from people in the business, most are very willing to help advise.
What have been to this day your proudest moments?
JU: Becoming the third largest distillery in Oregon, Adding James Oliver Rye and watching it grow quickly.
What does your job entail?
JU: Everything, producing, bottling, ordering supplies, staffing, books, TB reporting, selling,
literally everything
Do you have any role models in this industry?
JU: I am friends with many people in the industry, my business partner Robert Turner has been in the business for 53 years. I am good friends with Lee Medoff at Bull Run Distillery and work closely with him for any help or advise
What type of Whiskey do you currently produce?
JU: Canadian, Rye, aged straight corn whiskey, and many blends of whiskies, beer barreled finished whiskies.
Craft distilling has become incredibly huge – as there’s still no official definition, how would you define “craft” and do you think your distillery fits into this category?
JU: I never intended to be a craft distiller, wasn’t even a term when I started. Craft is anyone making a good quality product, even Booker Noe, when he came out the small batch collection was a craft distiller.
Do you think that your product is distinctive? If so, what makes it distinctive from other whiskies on the market?
JU: The James Oliver Rye is 100% Rye, 95/5 really, but that is considered 100% Rye. We bring it in as unaged 135 proof new make spirit and cut it to barrel strength of around 115 proof. We blend, barrel and age it all here in Portland in a warehouse that we heat and cool as needed to get the whiskey moving in the wood.
What is your opinion on barrel entry proof, and are there special considerations that you are applying to your barrel selection (Stave thickness, cooperage choice, seasoning time, etc).
JU: We do have a cooperage that we like best and use as much as possible. We barrel all of our whiskies between 115 and 120 in #4 char, 53 gallon new American oak barrels. All our barrels are seasoned for no less than 180 days and the wine barrels we use are seasoned up to 18 months. We prefer Kelvin Cooperage out of Kentucky. Best barrels in the biz.
Are there any other interesting whiskey’s in the pipeline for 2017?
JU: We will be adding James Oliver single grain this year which is 100% corn aged in new American oak and recharred Boudreaux barrels as well as our Provenance series where we finish whiskey in ex-beer barrels. This is going to be fun project because every iteration will be a unique one-off experience. No 2 vintages will ever be the same.
What are your hopes for the distillery 5 years from now? What do you want to be known for?
JU: Within 5 years we hope to be selling in every state and overseas. I want Indio to be known as a top-quality producer for all our products. To be known as innovators in our craft and to continue to push the envelop of what great whiskey can be.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
JU: Distilleries are a lot of work but at least it’s fun and flexible. Indio Spirits will be adding 2 800 gallon stills this year and we are excited for that. This should give us the opportunity to create special and unique whiskey long into the future.
For more information on the distillery, please see the links below:
website: http://www.indiospirits.com/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indio.spirits
