ROCHELLE – Last month, before the current stay-at-home order was issued, Kennay Farms Distillery of Rochelle won two silver medals at the Denver International Spirits Competition. 

The competition took place on March 14 and 15, in Denver, Colorado and included over 450 entries from 11 different countries. For the competition, each spirit is judged in a blind taste test, by three judges. 

Judges then choose their favorites and awards are given out for the best of the show, double gold, gold, silver and bronze, Kennay Farms won a silver medal for both its vodka and its gin. Along with a top-notch team of workers, Kennay Farms also knows high quality ingredients are necessary to make great spirits.

“Our vodka is made with 100 percent corn from our farm that passes through 20 distillation sites and is carbon filtered for a smooth finished product,” said Aubrey Quinn, daughter of owners Rick and Doris Kennay and manager of marketing. “Then, our gin has subtle juniper notes, crisp coriander, lemongrass and bitter orange balance with cracked black pepper and orris root.”

As well as its award-winning vodka and gin, Kennay Farms has a rye whiskey and a bourbon they plan to release in the future. The whiskey is aging in the Rickhouse and will be ready in the fall of 2020 and the bourbon will be barreled in summer of 2020 to be released after three to five years of aging.

The distillery has shifted its focus to making hand sanitizer during the current COVID-19 pandemic, but has plans for an agave spirit and rum when it converts production back to making liquors. For anybody that would like to pick up any of the spirits, hand sanitizer or growlers of craft beer, Kennay Farms is offering carry-out service. More information and carry-out hours can be found online at kennayfarmsdistilling.com.