Wood Hat Spirits
New Florence, Missouri · missouri
In the rolling farmland of New Florence, Missouri, Wood Hat Spirits has quietly built something remarkable. This distillery grows its own whiskey from the ground up. Under the leadership of JoHannes Michelsen and his "Wood Hat Movement," this operation represents the truest expression of Missouri terroir, cultivating ancient corn varieties that most distilleries abandoned generations ago.
History & Heritage
Wood Hat Spirits operates from New Florence, Missouri, where JoHannes Michelsen leads what he calls the "Wood Hat Movement." The distillery embraces a field-to-glass philosophy that connects every aspect of production to their own land. Michelsen has traveled the world collecting heirloom corn strains, bringing ancient varieties back into cultivation on the distillery's own acreage.
The Whiskey
The distillery's range spans from traditional bourbons like Queen's Reserve and Montgomery County to more adventurous expressions featuring heritage corn varieties. Their Bloody Butcher Corn Whiskey and Aged Blue Corn Whiskey showcase these ancient grains, while Rubenesque offers a bottled-in-bond expression. What sets every pour apart is the human food-grade corn grown on-site, rather than the feed-grade corn used by most producers.
Why It Matters
Wood Hat Spirits proves that innovation often means looking backward. Their 2024 ADI International Spirits Competition Gold Medal for Queen's Reserve Bourbon and 2023 Key West Whiskey Awards Double Gold for Montgomery County validate what happens when a distillery controls every variable from seed to bottle. For those who appreciate good whiskey, Wood Hat represents Missouri craftsmanship at its most authentic, where each expression tells the story of soil, season, and centuries-old grain.
Available at The Sentinel Room
- Wood Hat - Berry Berry Cordial — Liqueur
- Wood Hat - Black Walnut Liqueur — Liqueur (46 proof)
- Wood Hat - Bloody Dapper Bourbon — Bourbon (80 proof)
- Wood Hat - Bourbon Rubenesque - Single Barrel Bottled In Bond — Bourbon (100 proof)
- Wood Hat Aged Blue Corn Whiskey — American (90 proof)
- Wood Hat All American Red White & Blue Corn Whiskey — American (90 proof)
- Wood Hat Bourbon Rubenesque — Bourbon (100 proof)
- Wood Hat Brew Barrel Bourbon — Bourbon (90 proof)
- Wood Hat Twin Timbers Bourbon — Bourbon (90 proof)