Journeyman Pit-Spitter Cherry Rye Whiskey 750ML

Journeyman Pit-Spitter Cherry Rye Whiskey 750ML is a 35% ABV cherry-infused rye whiskey from Three Oaks, Michigan, made with real Montmorency cherries and no artificial syrups. It earned an outstanding 95 points from Wine Enthusiast reviewer Kara Newman, placing it among the most critically acclaimed flavored American whiskeys on the market.

Quick Facts: ABV: 35% (70 proof)  |  Origin: Three Oaks, Michigan, USA  |  Cherry-Infused Rye Whiskey  |  Distillery: Journeyman Distillery

Production & Heritage

Journeyman Distillery operates out of a former featherbone corset factory in Three Oaks, a small town in southwestern Michigan's fruit-growing region. The base spirit — their Last Feather Rye — is built on an organic mashbill of 60% rye and 40% wheat, then single-distilled. What truly distinguishes Pit-Spitter is the infusion process: roughly half a pound of fresh Michigan Montmorency cherries is macerated in cask-strength Last Feather Rye for 14 days per bottle, imparting natural cherry character without concentrates, syrups, or artificial flavoring of any kind.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The garnet-hued liquid opens with toasted oak and a distinct dried cherry fragrance. As it breathes, the nose shifts toward fuller, juicier cherry with a subtle cranberry tartness underneath.

Taste: On entry, cherry flavor arrives honey-sweet with delicate hints of tart apple. Mid-palate, a bready wheat whiskey backbone emerges, grounding the fruit in grain character. The cherry evolves from sweet to more puckery cranberry and lemon territory, adding complexity beyond a one-note fruit profile.

Finish: The finish carries a syrupy, full-bodied mouthfeel with lingering cherry sweetness and a faint rye spice kick. It closes with sustained dried cherry and a whisper of oak tannin.

How to Drink Pit-Spitter

At 70 proof, Pit-Spitter drinks smoothly chilled or over a single large ice cube, which tempers the sweetness and lets the rye grain peek through. It also functions as a versatile cocktail ingredient:

• Manhattan: Substitute Pit-Spitter for standard rye to add genuine cherry depth that replaces the need for a cherry garnish or maraschino liqueur.
• Whiskey Sour: The natural cherry sweetness pairs with fresh lemon juice, allowing you to reduce or eliminate simple syrup entirely.
• Old Fashioned: Use in place of bourbon for a fruit-forward twist — the Montmorency cherry infusion complements bitters beautifully without extra muddled fruit.

Best For

• Introducing whiskey-curious drinkers to American rye through an approachable, fruit-forward expression
• Gifting someone who appreciates craft distilling with genuine, traceable ingredients
• Building a home cocktail bar with a natural cherry whiskey that eliminates the need for artificial mixers
• After-dinner sipping alongside dessert in place of a heavier digestif

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Pit-Spitter taste like? Pit-Spitter leads with honey-sweet cherry that shifts into tart cranberry and lemon notes, supported by a bready, grain-forward wheat-rye base and a full-bodied, syrupy mouthfeel.

How does Pit-Spitter compare to Leopold Bros. Michigan Cherry Whiskey? Both use Michigan Montmorency cherries infused into American whiskey, but Pit-Spitter starts with an organic rye-wheat mashbill rather than a bourbon-style base, giving it more grain spice and less caramel sweetness. Pit-Spitter also earned 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, one of the higher scores in the flavored whiskey category.

Is Pit-Spitter good for cocktails? Its 70-proof strength and pronounced natural cherry flavor make it an excellent cocktail component, particularly in Manhattans and Whiskey Sours where it can replace both rye whiskey and cherry liqueur in a single pour.

Where is Pit-Spitter made? Pit-Spitter is distilled and infused at Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks, Michigan, located in the state's southwestern fruit belt where Montmorency cherries are a signature crop.

What foods pair well with Pit-Spitter? Dark chocolate truffles complement the cherry sweetness; aged gouda echoes the bready grain character; smoked duck or pork tenderloin with cherry glaze creates a savory-sweet bridge; and vanilla bean ice cream or cheesecake highlights the fruit without overwhelming it.

What sizes does Pit-Spitter come in? Pit-Spitter is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle size.

Is Pit-Spitter worth the price? Pit-Spitter positions as a mid-range craft whiskey, and the use of half a pound of real cherries per bottle — with no artificial shortcuts — along with a 95-point Wine Enthusiast rating provides strong value relative to mass-produced flavored whiskeys that rely on concentrates.

Why Pit-Spitter?

In a flavored whiskey segment crowded with artificial shortcuts, Pit-Spitter stands on a genuinely different production method: 14 days of whole Montmorency cherry maceration in cask-strength organic rye, yielding flavor that tastes unmistakably like real fruit rather than candy. The 95-point Wine Enthusiast score from Kara Newman validates that approach at the highest critical level. The organic rye-wheat mashbill provides enough grain backbone to keep this firmly in whiskey territory rather than sliding into liqueur sweetness. For anyone who has written off flavored whiskey as a lesser category, Pit-Spitter is a compelling argument to reconsider.