Don Outterson is Cincinnati’s Willy Wonka of distillation. He and his enthusiastic wife, Linda, run Woodstone Creek, an urban winery and tasting room that’s also Ohio’s first mico-distillery. Their excellent vodka is widely available and Woodstone’s small-batch bourbon earned praise from whiskey authority Jim Murray (“Brilliant! What a wonderful whisky! A massive well-done for a first bottling.”).
Never satisfied, in the coming months they’ll release a new rum, corn whiskey and gin (infused with a mind-boggling botanical blend including anise, orange peel, coriander, licorice and cardamom). “Right now,” Linda says, “our fruit pyments are available in blueberry, raspberry, and pomegranate.”
CityBeat: Hold on. Did you say “pyment”?
Linda: It’s a blend of mead and another wine, dating to the late Middle Ages. We use a light, off-dry white and add a fruit puree. You really have to be a mead purist …
CB: Alright. So where’d you have your last great meal and what was it?
LO: Our favorite place in the whole world is Sorrento’s (5143 Montgomery Road, Norwood, 513-531-5070). All of their Italian food is excellent, but their Margherita Napoletana is the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. They make their own dough and tomato sauce — so it’s not real sweet — and then layer on mozzarella, garlic and herbs. It’s simple but perfect.
WOODSTONE CREEK, 3641 Newton Ave., Evanston, 513-569-0300 or www.woodstonecreek.com
