Conceived during a montana snowstorm

Glacier Distilling Company was conceived during a snowstorm and in the Montana ethos of preparedness and self-reliance. In the winter of 2009/10 a group of friends gathered around the fireplace in a cabin along the North Fork discussing ski widths, fly lures, whiskey and other such academic topics. As the snow continued to pile up and the level of the whiskey bottle started falling to dangerously low levels, the conversation turned to more practical matters. Should this be Armageddon, how could these friends ensure safety and continue to provide for their families? They could guard The Pass and The Canyon. They could hunt and forage for food. They could chop wood for warmth. But where would they get their whiskey?  Alas, something had to be done. One of them had to start a distillery. It was only prudent. 

Glacier Distilling Company was registered as a business on January 20th of 2010 and permitted to operate legally on December 28th of that year. Taking a cue from Josephine Doody, a moonshiner who operated from her homestead on Harrison Creek in Glacier National Park during the early 1900s, the distillery first released an un-aged rye whiskey that could be produced and sold in a matter of months, instead of years. North Fork, Bad Rock Rye and Wheatfish soon followed and as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Nicolas Lee was born and raised in North Carolina and cut his teeth on Appalachian shine.  Unable to get a satisfactory answer to the difference between white lightening, rotgut, moonshine and likker, Nic decided to pursue a degree in Chemistry from UNC Chapel Hill.  Unfortunately having developed a taste for finer whiskies and other costly spirits one had to actually buy, Nic headed on a convoluted journey around the world in search of employment and esoteric spirits.  As fate would have it, he followed a girl to Montana, got married and one evening found himself sitting next to a fireplace in a cabin along the North Fork…