Believe it or not, you will find one of Boston’s best distilleries in the unlikeliest of places, literally right under the Tobin Bridge! Talk about a real backyard road trip, Chattermark Distillers in Charlestown not only distills a superb spirit, with an inviting tasting room but its location adds to the intrigue.
When researching for my latest book, the forthcoming Distilled in Boston, I visited distilleries from the North Shore to Cape Cod in quest of craft spirits. Putting Chattermark Distillers into the GPS, I knew roughly how to get there. Go past USS Constitution and Charlestown’s Navy Yard until you’re at the end of the road. This is where things got fun. Meandering to the address at 200 Terminal Street was a bit unusual since it seemed as if it was a working industrial location. And that it is, but the first entryway of the warehouse building is Chattermark.
Chattermark Distillers: The Beginning
The distillery was founded by John Sorgini, an airman turned lawyer and craft spirits entrepreneur. The head distiller is Kyle Leclerc who has been a distiller both near (Boston Harbor Distillery) and far (Oregon). The two form the backbone of this company which makes incredible spirits that are easy to sip neat or enjoy as the basis for an excellent cocktail.
Starting in 2019, one would assume that this would not have been an ideal year due to the pandemic which would shut down the planet a mere year later. When making whiskey, however, 2020 ironically provided a silver lining. Since it is an aged spirit, John and Kyle were able to get to work producing it and were given the ability to age it while their distillery would not be opened to the public due to Covid 19. During Covid, beverage manufacturers in Massachusetts were considered essential workers, so John and Kyle were able to continue working through the bleakest months. With a large, airy space, they were able to stay six feet apart without issue. They were able to produce their spirits during this time without outside distractions such as the pressure to open a tasting room when their beverage portfolio was limited.
Meet John
John grew up on the North Shore and his background is in the Air Force. When he left college he was on active duty in the Air Force. He left active duty to attend law school but stayed in the Air Force reserves. September 11th happened while John was in law school which brought him back into active duty. He had to leave law school for a year that fall and returned a year later to finish it up. He was a corporate lawyer in downtown Boston as part of a national law firm. Every two to three years though, he was deployed overseas. It was quite the juxtaposition between his high-rise law office with views into Boston Harbor and his tours of duty in the desert. Part of his law practice was dealing with small companies where he found himself wanting to be on the company side rather than the law side. He enjoyed his time being a lawyer but thought it was time to try something different. Explaining the move in careers, John elaborates, “Veterans and entrepreneurship go hand in hand.”
The story of “Chattermark”
The name “Chattermark” has its own interesting backstory. The word is a NATO brevity code word that John has actually used in combat scenarios. It means to switch frequencies, but its connotations are more about overcoming adversity and building resiliency–carrying on with the mission. The logo itself is a paper airplane flying away. It is modeled after John’s Air Force wings which is a paper airplane over a compass rose. On the logo, the airplane is flying through a compass rose of grain. Wings in the Air Force identify which job someone has as they wear their wings as a badge. His position as an Air Battle Manager is identified by the wings.
Time for a drink!
The tasting room is set off from the main distillery and is an attractive, convivial space that is easy to raise a glass in. Their Single Barrel Rye Whiskey is double pot distilled and is aged through four New England seasons, with the current offering aged twenty-two months. Aging through the seasons lets the spirit experience the changes in barometric pressure and temperature through the seasons. As the pressure changes, the barrels breathe and there is seepage out.
They are making spirit mixers that will let them serve an array of cocktails in their tasting room since the only alcohol they are allowed to serve is what they make themselves. Their Pot and Column White Rye has a big taste, which, when enjoyed neat, is a surprise since the clear color often has mellower connotations. The expectation of the clear liquid is much different than the realization, with fantastic results! For whiskey purists, drinking translucent whiskey is divisive; some need the brown, opaque visual quality.
To get to Chattermark Distillers
Chattermark Distillers is currently the only bourbon and rye grain-to-glass distiller in the city of Boston. Additionally, they make the first-ever bourbon that was mashed, fermented, and distilled in the city. The distillery is located right underneath the Tobin Bridge at 200 Terminal Street in Charlestown. Drive past the well-known Charlestown Navy Yard. Enter what seems like an industrial lot and follow signs to the left for “200.” Approaching the long warehouse building, Chattermark is the first business. The location is part of the fun as for the newbie, it almost seems that this area is off limits. There is parking onsite as it is not close to public transportation. Visit them online at www.chattermarkdistillers.com for more information.
For more distillery fun, check out Dirty Water Distillery, the Litchfield Distillery, and Foggy Harbor Vodka.
