DRINK LOCAL WITH DROP STRUCTURES 🥃
Step out of your fast-paced life for a moment and imagine a fire, a craft-distilled whiskey in your hand, and the chatter of friends new and old keeping the night alive.
Around you, a deep, thick darkness obscures the Rocky Mountain landscape. As the fire burns down, and the moon continues to rise, your friends start to fall away from the fire, seeking sleep. The chatter quiets down until it stops, and the last holdouts, along with you, retire to Monos to sleep.
Above your bed, the skylight reveals the myriad of tiny stars speckling the sky – more than you’ve ever seen. Staring at the night sky, you drift off, looking forward to tomorrow.
This is the Whistling Andy Whiskey Camp, the dream of Brian Anderson and Lisa Cloutier, co-founders of the Whistling Andy Distillery.
The Whistling Andy Whiskey Camp
Whistling Andy Distillery traces its roots back to New Year’s Day, 2010, when Brian and Lisa set out to distil Montana’s wild ingredients and create world-class spirits. Based in the small town of Bigfork, the distillery is surrounded by grains and fruits they use to craft their spirits.
Today, the distillery boasts ten spirits, ranging from classics like their award-winning bourbon, to their experimental Hopshnop, distilled in partnership with a local brewery.
While the booze begins in Bigfork, the real magic starts just east of town on 24 acres that spill over Montana’s Rocky Mountains.
Sharing pride in Wide Skies
Brian and Lisa are understandably proud of their state – of both its products and the gorgeous views. To share their bounty, they planned a whiskey camp, where anyone can come, learn a little more about their favorite tipple, and experience the wide-open spaces Montana is famous for.
With a weekend of whiskey in the works, they needed somewhere their guests could stay – something that lived up to their whiskey and the Rockies.
“We were definitely looking for something that had a minimalistic design that would fit in. I didn't want anything flashy here that would stick out,” Lisa said. “We’ve used safari tents in the past, which are fantastic, but the window of opportunity to use those are so small.“
So, the pair started to look for a prefab structure that would meet their aesthetic needs.
Finding DROP Structures
Unlike safari tents, a prefab structure was going to be pretty close to permanent. So, they knew they had to take their time and choose wisely. To start, they came up with their needs for the structures.
The building needed to be:
Simple; plug-and-play – With acres of property, they wanted to be able to put their structure anywhere and not worry about running plumbing or doing extensive work on the property.
Aesthetically pleasing – Their property, with its absolutely stunning views, is gorgeous – and the last thing they wanted was to mar it with a building that pulled attention away from the landscape.
Four-seasons-ready – Whiskey is as good in the winter as it is in the summer (some would say better) so they didn’t want to let old man winter restrict their on-season.
After determining these crucial needs, Lisa began an extensive round of research online, reading up on a variety of companies offering structures that ticked the right boxes.
Soon, they ran across our structures on Instagram and Pinterest, and Lisa sent us an email.
Designing the perfect Mono
After a few emails back and forth, Lisa and Brian scheduled a video call to spec out their perfect DROP Structure.
With their stipulations, they narrowed it down to two options: a Mono or a Holo.
However, all it took was one look at the loft and Lisa knew she wanted the Mono.
“I didn’t want people, after a few drams of whiskey around the fire, trying to climb up the ladder to the loft,” Lisa said with a smile.
With that first decision made, Lisa and Brian took their time configuring their DROP Structure just right. Knowing where they would put it, they opted for windows in the rear, so they could highlight the view of the mountains through the full-front glass.
Originally, Lisa wasn’t sure about adding a skylight, but in the end, both her and Brian agreed it needed that little bit extra. Today, after spending many nights in the Mono, the skylight is her favorite part.
“It's just fantastic and super cool to lay in bed and look at the sky. We trimmed all the tree branches above it, so you just have this huge view of the stars. And then having all the glass – it gives you an amazing view of the Rockies,” Lisa said.
Built in Canada, installed in Montana
With all the options checked off for their ideal structure, they placed an order and began preparing their spot. Within 60 days, a truck with Lisa and Brian’s DROP Structure was on its way from Alberta, Canada, down to Big Fork, Montana.
“They were right here literally within 20 minutes of when they said they would be,” Lisa said. “The crane pulled in and the DROP Structure was right behind.”
Within a couple hours, the Mono was placed, and our team was helping Lisa assemble a set of stairs for the entrance.
After a few weeks staying in the Mono to appreciate the view of the stars and the mountains, Lisa and Brian are happy with their choice.
“The quality is incredible,” Lisa said. “We've had a couple people over that are builders and that's something they've noted over and over. The hardware is quality; the windows are quality – everything's put together really nicely. I know there's cheaper options out there, but I feel like this is something that in 30 years is still gonna look exactly the same.”
Sign up for Whiskey Camp
Delivering DROP Structures is always a blast. We meet the best people and deliver a product they’re excited to see – which always puts a smile on our face.
This time, we were able to stay in the DROP Structure and experience a little bit of what it would be like to attend a Whistling Andy’s Whiskey Class, and it was amazing. Not only are Lisa and Brian knowledgeable and super friendly – but their whiskey is truly fantastic.
Now, with their Mono up on the hill, we can’t wait to start designing more with them, so we can drop by again and try a few more drams of whiskey.
Cheers.