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Where to Tour a Distillery Near D.C.

20 options within two hours of the District

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The number of independent distillers continues to grow in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. Many now offer lounges for quaffing cocktails made with their own vodka, rum, gin, or whiskey. The splashiest debut in the area came in December with the opening of Todd Thrasher’s Tiki TNT, a three-story cocktail bar specializing in tiki drinks. Potomac Distilling Company will be bottling Thrasher’s Rum in the same facility soon.

Old Line Spirits in Baltimore’s Highlandtown neighborhood unveiled its cocktail lounge in the spring. Two other Maryland distilleries, Lost Ark Distilling Co. in Columbia and Blackwater Distilling on the Eastern Shore, are expanding their operations with a cocktail lounge and a tavern, respectively.

These 21 distilleries are all within a two-hour drive of D.C. Many offer private tours — some free and some for a fee — for guests who book ahead.

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White Tiger Distillery, LLC

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White Tiger uses a family recipe to produce its Laotian style craft whisky. It offers tours and tastings Thursday through Sunday by appointment at its distillery, which opened this year in Harford County, Maryland.

Dragon Distillery

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Producing moonshine, bourbon, whisky, gin, rum and vodka Dragon Distillery offers tours and tastings Friday through Sunday and by appointment other times. Pick up one of their four canned cocktails, such as the citrus vodka and tonic. 

Baltimore Spirits Company

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Baltimore Spirits offers tastings of its whisky, gin, apple brandy, apple liqueur, and amaro at its new Union Collective location Wednesday through Sunday. Tours are offered on Saturday afternoons.

Old Line Spirits

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The Highlandtown establishment opened Baltimore’s first distillery cocktail lounge in the spring of 2018 with selections that highlight its rum and whisky. 

Sagamore Spirit Distillery

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Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s five-acre distillery offers a truly immersive experience with interactive exhibits on the history of Maryland rye whiskey, a tour of the production facility, and tastings. The whiskey is made with spring water from Plank’s Sagamore Farm. On a nice day, drink in the waterfront views on the patio.

Lost Ark Distilling Company

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The Howard County distillery offers tours and samples of its rum and whisky. In the summer of 2019 it will add a cocktail lounge with a full bar that serves drinks made with its spirits. 

Catoctin Creek Distillery

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The Loudoun County maker of whisky, gin, and brandy offers tours and tastings that can be booked online from Tuesday through Saturday. The distillery also sells syrups, tonic syrups, and bitters. 

Twin Valley Distillers

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The Montgomery County distillery offers weekend tastings of its whisky, liqueurs, gin and vodka. 

Blackwater Distilling

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The maker of Sloop Betty vodka and Picaroon Maryland rum bills itself as the Free State’s first distillery. It’s open for tours and tastings daily. Blackwater offers afternoon tours hourly seven days a week. Its full-service bar will open soon. 

Don Ciccio & Figli

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Limoncello, amaro, and a host of artisanal Italian liqueurs whisk guests to the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast. Tours and tastings are offered Saturday afternoon. 

District Distilling Co.

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District Distilling is currently refurbishing its kitchen, which is expected to reopen early in 2019. In the meantime, book a tour and tasting Wednesday through Saturday or enjoy a cocktail at the bar. 

Republic Restoratives

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The woman-owned Ivy City distillery offers tours Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Monday through Friday by appointment. Visitors can also imbibe an Old Fashioned, Moscow mule, and eight other cocktails at the Ivy Room from Thursday through Sunday. 

Jos. A Magnus & Co

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Visit the Ivy City distillery Thursday through Sunday to enjoy its gin and bourbons. 

New Columbia Distillers

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The makers of Green Hat gin offer free tours and tastings on Saturday afternoons. In 2018 the company released its first rye whisky after a 3-year aging process.

One Eight Distilling

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The makers of whisky, vodka, and gin welcome visitors Friday through Sunday for tastings, tours and cocktails in their Ivy City tasting room. 

Cotton & Reed

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Take a tour and sample a cocktail and rum flight during the rum distillery’s Saturday afternoon tour. Cocktails are available in the tasting room and bar at Union Market from Tuesday through Sunday. 

Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling Company

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Todd Thrasher’s tiki bar at the Wharf made its debut in December with bamboo décor and island fare. Rum production on-site at Potomac Distilling Company is expected to start soon.

MurLarkey Distilled Spirits

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Tours are offered Friday and Saturday afternoons and end with mixology sessions. Guests can try the vodka, gin, whisky and flavor-infused whisky in the tasting room Thursday through Saturday. 

Lyon Distilling Co.

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Top off a trip to the quaint Eastern Shore town of St. Michaels with a visit to Lyon Distilling Co., located in the historic Old Mill District. The distillery is currently offering Saturday afternoon tours and tastings of its rum and whisky Friday through Sunday. 

Copper Fox Distillery

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Guests can enjoy daily tours and seasonal cocktails and samplings of the whisky and gin at this distillery near Shenandoah National Park.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery

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A. Smith offers free hour-long tours daily, Monday through Saturday, giving visitors a glimpse of its gin, vodka, rum and bourbon-making facilities, followed by spirit tastings.

White Tiger Distillery, LLC

White Tiger uses a family recipe to produce its Laotian style craft whisky. It offers tours and tastings Thursday through Sunday by appointment at its distillery, which opened this year in Harford County, Maryland.

Dragon Distillery

Producing moonshine, bourbon, whisky, gin, rum and vodka Dragon Distillery offers tours and tastings Friday through Sunday and by appointment other times. Pick up one of their four canned cocktails, such as the citrus vodka and tonic. 

Baltimore Spirits Company

Baltimore Spirits offers tastings of its whisky, gin, apple brandy, apple liqueur, and amaro at its new Union Collective location Wednesday through Sunday. Tours are offered on Saturday afternoons.

Old Line Spirits

The Highlandtown establishment opened Baltimore’s first distillery cocktail lounge in the spring of 2018 with selections that highlight its rum and whisky. 

Sagamore Spirit Distillery

Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank’s five-acre distillery offers a truly immersive experience with interactive exhibits on the history of Maryland rye whiskey, a tour of the production facility, and tastings. The whiskey is made with spring water from Plank’s Sagamore Farm. On a nice day, drink in the waterfront views on the patio.

Lost Ark Distilling Company

The Howard County distillery offers tours and samples of its rum and whisky. In the summer of 2019 it will add a cocktail lounge with a full bar that serves drinks made with its spirits. 

Catoctin Creek Distillery

The Loudoun County maker of whisky, gin, and brandy offers tours and tastings that can be booked online from Tuesday through Saturday. The distillery also sells syrups, tonic syrups, and bitters. 

Twin Valley Distillers

The Montgomery County distillery offers weekend tastings of its whisky, liqueurs, gin and vodka. 

Blackwater Distilling

The maker of Sloop Betty vodka and Picaroon Maryland rum bills itself as the Free State’s first distillery. It’s open for tours and tastings daily. Blackwater offers afternoon tours hourly seven days a week. Its full-service bar will open soon. 

Don Ciccio & Figli

Limoncello, amaro, and a host of artisanal Italian liqueurs whisk guests to the sun-drenched Amalfi Coast. Tours and tastings are offered Saturday afternoon. 

District Distilling Co.

District Distilling is currently refurbishing its kitchen, which is expected to reopen early in 2019. In the meantime, book a tour and tasting Wednesday through Saturday or enjoy a cocktail at the bar. 

Republic Restoratives

The woman-owned Ivy City distillery offers tours Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Monday through Friday by appointment. Visitors can also imbibe an Old Fashioned, Moscow mule, and eight other cocktails at the Ivy Room from Thursday through Sunday. 

Jos. A Magnus & Co

Visit the Ivy City distillery Thursday through Sunday to enjoy its gin and bourbons. 

New Columbia Distillers

The makers of Green Hat gin offer free tours and tastings on Saturday afternoons. In 2018 the company released its first rye whisky after a 3-year aging process.

One Eight Distilling

The makers of whisky, vodka, and gin welcome visitors Friday through Sunday for tastings, tours and cocktails in their Ivy City tasting room. 

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Cotton & Reed

Take a tour and sample a cocktail and rum flight during the rum distillery’s Saturday afternoon tour. Cocktails are available in the tasting room and bar at Union Market from Tuesday through Sunday. 

Tiki TNT & Potomac Distilling Company

Todd Thrasher’s tiki bar at the Wharf made its debut in December with bamboo décor and island fare. Rum production on-site at Potomac Distilling Company is expected to start soon.

MurLarkey Distilled Spirits

Tours are offered Friday and Saturday afternoons and end with mixology sessions. Guests can try the vodka, gin, whisky and flavor-infused whisky in the tasting room Thursday through Saturday. 

Lyon Distilling Co.

Top off a trip to the quaint Eastern Shore town of St. Michaels with a visit to Lyon Distilling Co., located in the historic Old Mill District. The distillery is currently offering Saturday afternoon tours and tastings of its rum and whisky Friday through Sunday. 

Copper Fox Distillery

Guests can enjoy daily tours and seasonal cocktails and samplings of the whisky and gin at this distillery near Shenandoah National Park.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery

A. Smith offers free hour-long tours daily, Monday through Saturday, giving visitors a glimpse of its gin, vodka, rum and bourbon-making facilities, followed by spirit tastings.

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