Along with the local winery and craft brewery movement, the craft distillery surge has also flourished in New England during the last few years. Each state, from Connecticut to Maine, boasts local craft distilleries. For this article, we are diving into three of them; one from Connecticut, one from Massachusetts, and three from Vermont. Put on your boots because we’re about to hit five stops on New England’s craft distillery trail!
Dirty Water Distillery – Plymouth, MA
Dirty Water was one of the first craft distilleries I had visited. Located almost within eyeshot of my backyard, Dirty Water produces a fine mix of various spirits and liqueurs. Dirty Water has an extensive flavored vodka roster, among them flavored with clementine, horseradish, and bacon, and favorites such as the Bog Monster gin and the Bachelor single malt whiskey. The honey liqueur they are most famous for though is the Krupniak, a Lithuanian honey liquor that they call Velnias. In the Velnias, one can taste the honey with a dash of cinnamon. Enjoyed by itself or in drinks such as a Hot Toddy or with cider, this devilish liquid can sneak right up on you!
Also located at the distillery is their sister brand, LlamaNama Beer Labs. During the daytime the location of the best cup of coffee in town, Leyden Street Coffee.
Litchfield Distillery – Litchfield, CT
Heading hours west, the Litchfield Distillery crafts fine spirits. They are known for their wide array of bourbons including one made with maple and another with vanilla. Try their Agave spirit which just may be the smoothest tequila-esque taste I’ve ever tried! Their distillery is massive compared to many of the smaller local operations. They also distribute on a grander scale than most which makes it easier to find Litchfield on your local grocer’s shelves. While you’re at the distillery, make sure to pick up a four-pack of the canned cocktails such as The Litchfielder, a bourbon-based cocktail infused with honey and maple syrup, a perfect fall concoction.
SILO Distillery -Windsor, VT
Let’s head north from Connecticut for the next three stops on the New England craft distillery trail. First in Windsor, Vermont, in the same complex as Harpoon Brewery and Simon Pearce is the SILO Distillery. Located in a barn-like building, one cannot help but be drawn here. At SILO, I enjoy ordering up a craft cocktail. Typically seasonally based, these are all crafted with house-made spirits. In the summer, a refreshing vodka spritzer may come calling while in the winter, something heavier, possibly whiskey-based, may do the trick. Sit inside or out, just like the state itself, SILO is worth a visit any time of the year.
Barr Hill – Montpelier, VT
Keep heading up route 89 from Windsor and you’ll eventually reach the capital of Vermont, Montpelier. Although Montpelier is about as urban as Vermont comes, the Barr Hill Distillery has a rural feel to it. Entering from the road, the large space draws visitors to it. Choose to sit outdoors, weather permitting, or in the spacious barroom inside. The bartenders work magic while using homemade Barr Hill spirits in their drinks. I like a gin-based creation when visiting Barr Hill since their gin in award-winning. Craving a beer? Barr Hill also serves the much-heralded Foam Brewers beer on tap. Make sure to check out the store selling everything from merch to spirits to hand sanitizer.
Smugglers Notch Distillery – Waterbury, VT
Although the Smugglers Notch Distillery is located in Smugglers Notch, the far side of Mount Mansfield technically in Jeffersonville, there are tasting rooms in Waterbury and Burlington. I like to visit the Waterbury location for an afternoon of one-stop imbibing. At the tasting room, feel free to sample amongst their many products. I find myself drawn to their rum, which I often take home to make a Dark and Stormy. The tasting room is bright and inviting and happens to be in the same complex as the Cabot Cheese annex store and a branch of Lake Champlain Chocolate. With chocolate, cheese, and cocktails all in one location, as well as Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and Cold Hollow’s apple cider just down the street, I can promise you will not leave Waterbury hungry or thirsty!
These five stops on the New England distillery trail are some of my personal favorites. Each has its own merit and brings something different to the distillery trail. Dirty Water’s hip industrial vibe has city cool. Litchfield is as dignified as the region it calls home. SILO makes a fun stop alongside Harpoon, Barr Hill is an elegant Vermont respite and Smugglers Notch is part of a scrumptious complex along with chocolate and cheese.
