Few people in northern Michigan can tell the story of this land — and its relationship to what's in the glass — quite like Chris Fredrickson. A Traverse City native who grew up in a multi-generation cherry farming operation, Fredrickson's path to founding Traverse City Whiskey Co. began with an unexpected discovery: a set of distilling patents his great-grandfather had drafted decades earlier, found while clearing out a storage facility on the family farm. That spark of family history and a deep reverence for northern Michigan agriculture led to the founding of one of the region's most celebrated craft spirits brands.
Guests have the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at the TCWC Rickhouse for a private guided experience hosted by Fredrickson himself. As Fredrickson puts it, "We're telling the story of what Traverse City means to us, just on a bigger stage" — and this intimate tour does exactly that, weaving together the history of the distillery, the deep roots of northern Michigan's cherry agriculture, and the craft behind every bottle. The experience concludes with a guided whiskey tasting that brings it all to life in the glass.