Tom Lix talks with Mike Snyder and Bill Wills about Cleveland Whiskey

(Cleveland) - Cleveland Whisky is hitting store shelves.

Using advanced technology to accelerate the maturation of whiskey, it only take weeks instead of years to produce fine spirits.

(Photo courtesy Cleveland Whiskey Facebook Page)

"Whiskey is a $20-billion world market," says Cleveland Whiskey founder Tom Lix. "There are emerging markets in China, India, Russia and Brazil where people are just starting to drink whiskey. We're talking huge numbers of people." 

To speed up the aging process, Lix and his partners use computer-monitored stainless steel vats that replace traditional oak barrels.

Carefully measured sections of oak and other woods, categorized by surface area, weight and moisture content, are placed inside the vats.

Lix says they’re compressed “like a sponge”.  He says this contributes a whole palette of unique flavors. It’s also a darker spirit, so it’s been called Black Bourbon.

Lix says they rented lab and office space in The Incubator at MAGNET (Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network), which also gave him close proximity and easy access to MAGNET's Product Design & Development (PDD) engineering team.

And for those whiskey purists, Lix says it does NOT have to be made in Kentucky to be bourbon.

(Photo courtesy Cleveland Whiskey)

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