ASHEVILLE – Enter a realm of creativity and eco-conscious wood-crafted whiskey production at a modest distillery nestled within Fletcher’s industrial zone.

Two Trees Distilling Co. showcases an advanced distilling method that crafts top-tier bourbon whiskeys utilizing wood chips rather than the conventional barrel aging approach.

Rebecca Murphy, the operations manager, mentioned that they primarily use in-house toasted and treated wood chips baked in a large-scale oven. According to her, this innovative process accelerates the extraction of flavors and colors that would normally take years to mature.

“Our approach with this revolutionary technology — the whiskey time machine — is to reverse the traditional concept; instead of aging the whiskey in the barrel, we infuse the barrel into the whiskey,” Murphy explained.

Two Trees, located at 17 Continuum Drive, invites adults over the age of 21 to explore its tasting room with a picturesque view into the production area. Visitors can discover the unique barrel-less ageing process and taste various spirits.

The distillery’s offerings include six classic whiskeys and bourbons alongside 15 flavored varieties such as the popular Carolina Peach, all crafted with real sugar and natural flavors.

Additionally, Two Trees produces both a standard and a top-tier 712 Spirits vodka.

Murphy suggests using Carolina Peach with lemonade for a refreshing cocktail or soaking peaches in it overnight for a delectable peach cobbler.

“We wanted this to be like you’re biting into a fresh, juicy, ripe peach and then whiskey on the back end,” Murphy said.

The spring/summer seasonal lineup includes Michigan Cherry, Golden Honey, Candy Apple — a crisp apple and sea salted caramel blend — and Scorched Brown Sugar whiskeys.

The Folklore series features selections like the Wampus Cat, a single malt whiskey finished with sherry-infused wood chips.

Sea Salted Caramel is a fall/winter favorite. Pumpkin Spice and Peppermint are on the horizon for later this year.

The ready-to-drink Old Fashioned that is perfect when served over ice is suitable for all seasons.

Free tastings are available every day, where guests can try six quarter-ounce samples ― five chosen by the distiller and one chosen by the guest.

Cocktails can be bought on site.

Murphy explained that Two Trees’ distillation practices allow them to offer their rye, single malt, bourbon, and flavored whiskeys at affordable prices ― generally $19.95 for a 750-mL bottle. The premium American single-malt, Wampus Cat, is priced at $49.95.

Murphy, an employee at Two Trees for almost three years, mentioned that the distillery was established by childhood friends Keith Mort and Chad Slagle from Black Mountain. The duo started building their business about ten years ago.

According to Murphy, the partners created a new technology capable of distilling whiskey in significantly less time using 90% less wood. Despite their innovation, established distilleries rejected the technology, preferring to maintain traditional methods.

“They decided to launch their own brand to demonstrate the technology’s viability,” explained Murphy.

Murphy added that the company gained momentum when Joe Ford, previously with Asheville Brewing, came on board as the production manager, and the company relocated to a new facility in Fletcher five years ago.

Tim Smith, recognized from the Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiners: Master Distiller,” collaborated to create his wood-fired whiskeys, marking the first commercial offerings from the Fletcher distillery.

The brands Climax and Southern Reserve, encompassing both moonshine and whiskey, continue to be produced at Two Trees.

Two Trees has earned accolades for its distilled spirits, securing platinum and gold Sip Awards in 2022 for its Carolina Peach, Sea Salted Caramel, and Old Fashioned ready-to-drink whiskeys.

In 2023, the Asheville Media Group awarded Two Trees with the Best of Asheville Award for Best Distillery.

Two Trees’ whiskey is crafted from premium grains and water from the Appalachian Mountains, alongside a selection of charred, toasted woods to enhance its smoky and rich taste.

Murphy explained that by using wood chips, Two Trees is able to produce its whiskey in just one week, a significant reduction from the traditional four-year aging process required for six barrels of bourbon.

The company asserts that its innovative, eco-friendly maturation method reduces wood use by 90% and only requires less than 10% of the wood typically needed for conventional barrel aging.

Murphy noted that utilizing wood chips addresses the worldwide shortage of barrels and also cuts down on the space required for aging spirits over lengthy periods.

“This method comes at a much lower price tag. Barrels are expensive,” Murphy said. “There’s not as many folks, especially here in the United States, who are making barrels.”

She mentioned that foregoing barrels decreases the likelihood of facing issues with the whiskey fungus known as Baudoinia compniacensis, which thrives on the sugars from alcohol and arises from barrels during the maturation process. Avoiding barrels also lessens the environmental impact by reducing CO2 emissions.

Used wood chips are repackaged and sold in the tasting room for customers to use in their grilling and smoking endeavors.</(&$gt;

Bottles can be acquired at the distillery or through North Carolina ABC Stores. Two Trees products are available in several states including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, New York, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Two Trees offers personalized bottle engraving for Two Trees and Tim Smith spirits.

Where: 17 Continuum Drive, Fletcher.

Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

Info: For more details, visit twotreesdistilling.com and follow facebook.com/twotreesdistilling/ and @twotreesdistilling on Instagram.

‘Beverage mecca’: Why people are flowing to WNC to launch careers in beer, spirits, more

Sneak peek: Burial Beer’s Visuals rooftop wine bar opening on South Slope in Asheville

Cocktails that Asheville imbibers and bartenders love, and those they can do without

Music listening lounge with cocktails, ice cream planned for West Asheville

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Two Trees Distilling nixes barrel-aging with ‘whiskey time machine’