When you think of flavored spirits, you might initially feel skeptical, rubbed the wrong way from too many cheap liquor experiences in your twenties or artificially flavored rum-drenched Caribbean vacations. But keep an open mind, the craft distilleries of Florida are here to change those perceptions.
Distilleries like St. Augustine and Drum Circle are churning out flavored spirits in small batches and are getting recognized for their endeavors. St. Augustine's Florida Cane Vodka was awarded the Double-Gold medal from ©TheFiftyBest.com and their New World Gin took home a gold medal from the San Francisco International Spirits Competition.
Drum Circle is lauded for producing the best tasting toasted coconut flavored rum and raising the bar across the board in the flavored rum market. Drum Circle also held the title of Best Spiced Rum of the Year three times from The Caribbean Journal.
What are Florida distilleries making?
One common theme among craft distilleries in Florida is the use of non-traditional ingredients. As the names suggest, local sugar cane is used in St. Augustine's Florida Cane Vodka as well as in Florida CANE Distillery's vodka, instead of the traditional potatoes, and sometimes corn, used to create many well-known vodkas.
Kozuba & Sons' White Dog Whiskey boasts 100% rye malt rather than traditional corn mash, and Wicked Dolphin Distillery also uses Florida sugar cane in its rum recipes.
What ingredients are they sourcing?
In addition to creating spirits from local sugar cane, Florida distilleries are using local fruits to flavor their concoctions. From Siesta Key Toasted Coconut, the rum that "doesn't taste like suntan lotion," to Strawberry Rumshine from Wicked Dolphin, there's a flavor for every adventurous palate.
Where can I find a craft distillery?
Florida's craft distillery trail extends from the Panhandle to Key West and includes 35 distilleries. Tours and tastings offered by each distillery will pique the interest of bartenders and restaurant operators looking to add new craft spirits to their cocktail lineup. After all, quality spirits is the first step to creating quality cocktails.
Having local craft spirits easily accessible behind the bar is key to pleasing patrons and maintaining efficiency. The Tobin Ellis Signature Cocktail Station is designed with bartenders in mind. It allows for zero-step bartending, a comfortable workspace, and is a profit-making machine for high volume operations.