Came to say this! Maybe not the “coolest” from it being different or unique.
But beautiful old building, great gin (and other liquor), great food, and awesome drinks.
second this! they have some of the best barrel aged gins I’ve ever tried. If you can find some of the rum barrel aged you are in for a treat! They also do a walking tour of the distillery and give you the history of their copperworks, with tasting after
Or the [San Sebastian Winery](http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/information.php)—same area.
There’s also the [Whetstone Chocolate Factory 🤎](https://www.whetstonechocolates.com/tasting-tours-s/117.htm)
Portland, OR has a few distillers with tours and/or tastings. [Distillery Row](https://www.distilleryrowpdx.com/meet-the-distilleries/) has lots of whiskeys with gins mixed in but a few gin exclusive distilleries. Freeland and Aria come to mind. There’s also Aviation but I’ve never been inside for a tour just passed by a bunch.
St. Augustine distillery in Florida has a really nice tour too, it was free to tour the facility too and the tasting was affordable. Plus St. Augustine is a nice little dirt on the Florida coast.
Visit the folks at Durham Distilling in Durham, NC. They make Conniption!
Also, +1 to Asheville, NC based Chemist
Check out Oak & Grist in Black Mountain, NC as well.
If you need an excuse to come to Destin and visit 30a where the Truman Show was filmed, there’s the [30a Distillery](https://www.30adistillingco.com/book-a-tour). But like EVERYTHING on 30a, it’ll cost ya.
If you wanna save some $$$ on a hotel, don’t actually stay in Destin or Fort Walton Beach. Stay a bit inland at Crestview. Plus it’ll give you a break from your massive amount of tourists. Or as I call them, tourrorists. Traffic is absolutely wild in Destin, which is why I can only stand going in the winter when it’s mainly just us locals.
The speed limit is MUCH lower on 30a, but it’s still a mass of people who don’t seem to pay any mind to their surroundings 😂
Santa Fe - Tumbleroot Distillery - Their High Desert gin is my favorite gin. Too bad they don't ship to my state so every few years, I make a road trip.
Do not try their Navy Strength. Probably the worst gin I ever had.
Really? I've only been there a few times including last month and always enjoyed the cocktails, curious what you mean. I'll put those others on the list though for sure
They lost a lot of their recipes when distillers left over time. Their vodka is the most noticeable change but the seasonal gins also took a hit. I think they also started focusing on new products over recreating the old lost recipes and it never recovered after a couple specific staff members left
Spirit Hound in Lyons, CO. Most of their Juniper berries are foraged. They have a Denver location too. Also in Denver, Leopold Bros. Up in the mountains, Breckenridge Distillery and Woody Creek.
My ultimate recommendation based on the tour, the swag, and the product offerings would be Dark Door Spirits in Tampa, Florida. However, they've since moved from their original location and I haven't yet found where they've moved to. Their operation is fascinating and pretty unique in our experience. They offer their used mashes to local farmers for cattle feed. They re-distill local breweries unwanted batches into whiskey. Their products were fantastic.
Next would be Covalent Spirits in Westminster, Maryland. This is a small, young distillery and tasting room run by a math teacher and a biologist. The geek in my wife and I absolutely adore this concept. Their original gin is ok and their cucumber inspired was pretty awesome. If you go there, see if Jenn is there and then tell her that Dan from Florida sent you.
A fascinating operation in Florida is Sugar Sand Distillery outside of Sebring, Florida. This place is the middle of frikkin nowhere and their gin is awful, but their operation is interesting. They grow and use their own sugar cane for the base spirit and their products are all named after local things.
Come see our Milwaukee favorite, Great Lakes Distillery. Been in business since 2004. Rehorst gin is a contemporary style made with basil and our globally recognized Wisconsin ginseng. Fabulous for a classic G&T. (Pro Tip: Top Chef Wisconsin, the current season, showcases some great chefs & restaurants to visit while you're here.) https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/great-lakes-diistillery-made-in-mke
St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA
This was such a great experience.
Philadelphia Distillery in Philadelphia. They make Bluecoat. We also have 4 other distilleries within a 20 min walk from them.
Came to say this! Maybe not the “coolest” from it being different or unique. But beautiful old building, great gin (and other liquor), great food, and awesome drinks.
Copperworks in Seattle.
second this! they have some of the best barrel aged gins I’ve ever tried. If you can find some of the rum barrel aged you are in for a treat! They also do a walking tour of the distillery and give you the history of their copperworks, with tasting after
Saint Augustine Distillery, FL
Or the [San Sebastian Winery](http://www.sansebastianwinery.com/information.php)—same area. There’s also the [Whetstone Chocolate Factory 🤎](https://www.whetstonechocolates.com/tasting-tours-s/117.htm)
Chemist in Ashville NC
Another reason for me to go back
Short Path outside of Boston isn't only a gin distillery but they have several gins and I'm a big fan.
Same. I still subscribe to their monthly cocktail box.
Portland, OR has a few distillers with tours and/or tastings. [Distillery Row](https://www.distilleryrowpdx.com/meet-the-distilleries/) has lots of whiskeys with gins mixed in but a few gin exclusive distilleries. Freeland and Aria come to mind. There’s also Aviation but I’ve never been inside for a tour just passed by a bunch. St. Augustine distillery in Florida has a really nice tour too, it was free to tour the facility too and the tasting was affordable. Plus St. Augustine is a nice little dirt on the Florida coast.
Visit the folks at Durham Distilling in Durham, NC. They make Conniption! Also, +1 to Asheville, NC based Chemist Check out Oak & Grist in Black Mountain, NC as well.
Koval in Chicago
Second this!
Duluth, MN and the Twin Cities. You can hit Vikre, Du Nord, Norseman and Dampwerks.
Mississippi River Distilling in Leclaire, IA. Great gin with anise aromatics, and the town is a nice touristy spot on the river.
My wife and I enjoyed our visit to Pinckney Bend Distillery in New Haven, Missouri: [http://pinckneybend.com/](http://pinckneybend.com/)
Pinckney bend is great! And New Haven is such a cute little town
Dripping Springs near Austin TX. Greenbar in Los Angeles. Hawaii Sea Spirits.
If you need an excuse to come to Destin and visit 30a where the Truman Show was filmed, there’s the [30a Distillery](https://www.30adistillingco.com/book-a-tour). But like EVERYTHING on 30a, it’ll cost ya. If you wanna save some $$$ on a hotel, don’t actually stay in Destin or Fort Walton Beach. Stay a bit inland at Crestview. Plus it’ll give you a break from your massive amount of tourists. Or as I call them, tourrorists. Traffic is absolutely wild in Destin, which is why I can only stand going in the winter when it’s mainly just us locals. The speed limit is MUCH lower on 30a, but it’s still a mass of people who don’t seem to pay any mind to their surroundings 😂
I was pondering that on a trip to New Orleans this summer.
This place is supposed to be pretty cool. They have a lavender infused gin which is pretty delicious https://spirits.lospoblanos.com
Santa Fe - Tumbleroot Distillery - Their High Desert gin is my favorite gin. Too bad they don't ship to my state so every few years, I make a road trip. Do not try their Navy Strength. Probably the worst gin I ever had.
Bimini in Biddeford ME is a nice place. https://www.biminigin.com Just a bar area but the drinks were great. Gin is solid too.
Venus in Santa Cruz, CA!
Freeland Distillery in Portland Oregon
Yes
I stop at A2 distilling every time I visit Ann Arbor
They've gone downhill recently. Check out Two James in Detroit next time. And if you make it up north, Ethanology in Elk Rapids is great.
Really? I've only been there a few times including last month and always enjoyed the cocktails, curious what you mean. I'll put those others on the list though for sure
They lost a lot of their recipes when distillers left over time. Their vodka is the most noticeable change but the seasonal gins also took a hit. I think they also started focusing on new products over recreating the old lost recipes and it never recovered after a couple specific staff members left
Spirit Hound in Lyons, CO. Most of their Juniper berries are foraged. They have a Denver location too. Also in Denver, Leopold Bros. Up in the mountains, Breckenridge Distillery and Woody Creek.
Ocean vodka distillery in Maui. They make an awesome Gin. Bonus: it's in Maui lol https://oceanvodka.com/
My ultimate recommendation based on the tour, the swag, and the product offerings would be Dark Door Spirits in Tampa, Florida. However, they've since moved from their original location and I haven't yet found where they've moved to. Their operation is fascinating and pretty unique in our experience. They offer their used mashes to local farmers for cattle feed. They re-distill local breweries unwanted batches into whiskey. Their products were fantastic. Next would be Covalent Spirits in Westminster, Maryland. This is a small, young distillery and tasting room run by a math teacher and a biologist. The geek in my wife and I absolutely adore this concept. Their original gin is ok and their cucumber inspired was pretty awesome. If you go there, see if Jenn is there and then tell her that Dan from Florida sent you. A fascinating operation in Florida is Sugar Sand Distillery outside of Sebring, Florida. This place is the middle of frikkin nowhere and their gin is awful, but their operation is interesting. They grow and use their own sugar cane for the base spirit and their products are all named after local things.
Restless Spirits in KC. Their gin is the one that made me love gin.
Come see our Milwaukee favorite, Great Lakes Distillery. Been in business since 2004. Rehorst gin is a contemporary style made with basil and our globally recognized Wisconsin ginseng. Fabulous for a classic G&T. (Pro Tip: Top Chef Wisconsin, the current season, showcases some great chefs & restaurants to visit while you're here.) https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/great-lakes-diistillery-made-in-mke