Israel’s First Distillery Offering Investors a Sneak “Peak”

December 17, 2013

2 min read

(Photo:Courtesy)

“Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto the bitter in soul; Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.” (Proverbs 31:6-7)

(Photo:Courtesy)
(Photo:Courtesy)

Israel is breaking ground on another “first” — the country’s first local whiskey distillery, Milk & Honey.  In an effort to raise funds to begin production, Milk & Honey Distillery has started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo.com, and is offering investors a variety of incentives from the distillery to contribute.

The distillery already has staff and most of its equipment.  It has a location and a building plan.  According to its campaign site, it is poised to begin distilling in January.  However, it is trying to raised the $65,000 US still needed to purchase the barley and additional barrels needed.

For as little as $50 US, the distillery will give investors a sample bottle of their limited first run whiskey, set to hit shelves in December 2017.  Make it $79, and the bottle grows to full-size.  Other gestures of appreciation range from the company’s “eternal gratitude” for a $5 US contribution to a lifetime supply, a world whiskey tour, a Range Rover with a stocked bar and whiskey served in space for a donation of $950,000 US.  Current donations have reached over $21,000.

“I think it’s a good way to market ourselves and sell the product that we will produce, so it’s a great project,” co-founder and primary investor Gal Kalkshtein told The Jerusalem Post.

It was the increase in global demand for whiskey, along with the recent success of Israeli microbreweries that inspired Kalkshtein and partners Amit Dror and Simon Fried.

“From the macroeconomic perspective in the recent years China and India have recently developed a taste for alcohol, so there’s a global market,” said Dror.

The trio were not the only ones, however, inspired by shifting markets; successful distillers around the world have been buying out smaller companies and marketing their own boutique-style products.  This made it difficult for Milk & Honey to find both the equipment and the manpower needed.  The three founders were thrilled when master distiller Jim Swan agreed to join the team.  For him, the allure of distilling whiskey in a warm climate and experimenting with distillation at the Dead Sea were the main attractions of the position.

The crowdfunding page offers the following description of the the distillery’s initial product: “The first whiskey we make will be a Speyside/Highland inspired single-malt. Our goal is to make a fruity, flavorful whiskey that is not too sweet. It’s the type of whiskey that enthusiasts and newcomers should both enjoy.”  Later plans include a peatier whiskey.  In the meantime, the company plans to produce other spirits, such as Jerusalem Moonshine or possibly Israel’s first gin.  They are also open to suggestions and requests.

Back in February, Fried told JNS.org, “We intend to make a whiskey that can stand on its own two feet.  Not only to make a whiskey from Israel for the first time, but a good whiskey that will be respected around the world.”

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