No ordinary whiskey

A special whiskey went on sale at Minocqua’s Northern Waters Distillery on April 9.

“Camp American Legion Centennial Whiskey” is its name said Sarah Johnson, a co-owner of Northern Waters Distillery, the business had been contacted “by the folks at Camp American Legion.”

“They had an idea to sell a branded whiskey for their 100-year celebration and they wondered if we would be able to do that,” she said. 

That celebration of the beginning of Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk will take place this year on Saturday, June 14, which just happens to be the 250th birthday of the United States Army as well. 

Johnson said it took some “research and some doing.”

“We’ve never done anything like this for a private group but the state laws have changed and we found it was something we could pursue,” she said.  

Camp American Legion Centennial Whiskey may be purchased for $40 per bottle at Northern Waters Distillery — while supplies last – with $20 of each sale going to Camp American Legion. 

The same day Camp American Legion Centennial Whiskey went on sale at Northern Waters Distillery – April 9 — Johnson and Camp American Legion director Jim Klement went to a meeting of the Lake Tomahawk town board. 

Included on the agenda for the meeting was consideration of a full-service retail permit application that, essentially, allows the business to sell just the Camp American Legion Centennial Whiskey for one day during the Camp American Legion 100th birthday celebration on June 14. 

“We’re reserving a good chunk of bottles so hopefully, we’ll have enough for everyone to grab a bottle that day,” Johnson told The Lakeland Times before the meeting. 

Following a brief presentation from Johnson at the meeting, the town board voted unanimously to approve the permit application. 

She said Camp American Legion will receive $20 for each bottle sold that day. 

“We look forward to this celebration,” town chairman George DeMet said after the vote. “I think it’s going to be great.”

Johnson told the Times a total of 350 bottles of Camp American Legion Centennial Whiskey have been distilled with 200 bottles distributed to American Legion posts across the state.

$10 from the sale of each of those bottles goes to Camp American Legion. 

Klement said 100 of the bottles will be available for sale at Camp American Legion for the birthday event on June 14. 

As for involvement by Northern Waters Distillery in future projects of this type, Johnson said it’s “a definite possibility.”

“We’re open to it,” she said. “In this instance, it’s really nice that it’s a win-win. We’ve really enjoyed being a part of it.” 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at [email protected].