Following the DIY spirit of the craft beer trend, small-batch distilleries are cropping up in record numbers all across the globe. In the past year alone, there’s been a bumper crop of craft beer breweries found everywhere from the outer boroughs of New York to the very first one in an airport. Here are our faves from around the world.
DC-based One Eight Distilling opened on January 8, 2015. (Get it?) It offers whiskey, gin and vodka as well as a series of untitled whiskeys, which are special limited-edition experimental mash-ups sold in small batches. Check out its site for a cocktail-of-the-month recommendation, currently featuring something delish calling for nutmeg, lime juice and mint. 1135 Okie St NE, Washington, D.C. (202-636-6638, oneeightdistilling.com)
The first distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Harris, an island in the rugged northwest, it opened in October 2015. Organized and run by a foundation of 10 local men and women, the self-proclaimed social distillery was created to help enrich the lives of those who live on the island. The Isle of Harris’ gin has a special flavor coming from sugar kelp that’s hand-harvested by local divers, and a just-as-unique whiskey is in the works. Tarbert, Isle of Harris HS3 3DJ, Scotland (+44-1859-502212, harrisdistillery.com)
Beijing’s first craft distillery, this spot is looking to capture the feel of Western spirit distillation with a Chinese twist. With gin, vodka, rum and more on tap, it's expanding its offerings by experimenting with ingredients and flavors native to China. 23 Xinsi Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing, China (+86-10-6409-3319, capitalspiritsbj.com)
Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Capital Spirits
Yep, this is most likely the world’s only airport distillery. Named for an English botanist, herbalist and physician who lived and studied in the 1600s, the distillery is hidden in a North Terminal restaurant in Gatwick Airport and specializes in London Dry Gin. In homage to its namesake, the menu says the distilling process calls for more than twice the botanicals found in typical gins. West Sussex RH6 0NP, London, England (+44-01293-503383, gatwickairport.com)
The Lakes District, once part of Scotland, is known for its long history of illicit whiskey distilling. Housed in a renovated Victorian farm from the 1850s, the Lakes Distillery now legally produces whiskey, vodka and the Lakes Gin (it’s best appreciated neat) and keeps waste to a minimum: It recycles water and heat and uses only grain, yeast and water in its process. Nr Bassenthwaite Lake, Cumbria CA13 9SJ, United Kingdom (+44-17687-88850, lakesdistillery.com)
Started by two friends who often joked about opening their own distillery, Long Road Distillers became a reality and opened to the public in May 2015. It prides itself on a complete start-to-finish process when making vodka, gin, aquavit and more—all without the use of rectified spirits. 537 Leonard St NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan (616-228-4924, longroaddistillers.com)
With the goal of making the most profound single malt whiskey ever created, Waterford Distillery opened in December 2015. The secret to doing just that may be in its barley: The grain is grown on 46 different Irish farms, and each crop is tracked and distilled separately to capture the subtly different character of each. Grattan Quay, Waterford, Ireland (+353-51-303-508, waterforddistillery.ie)
A husband-and-wife team looking for a way to work side-by-side opened Griffo Distillery in 2015. Their small-batch, grain-to-glass spirits include gin—in which you’ll taste notes of locally sourced coriander, cinnamon and juniper—and both bourbon and rye whiskey, for which the grain is hand-milled on-site and then distilled in a custom-made, 250-gallon copper pot named Betty. 1320 Scott St, Suite A, Petaluma, California (707-879-8755, griffodistillery.com)
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