Heritage Distilling Company is a business steeped in tradition and, as its slogan promises, every spirit has a story. From the moment you arrive at the distillery, one thing becomes clear: This is more than just a place to sample spirits. It is a place where you are welcome to create your own story. The inspiration is everywhere, from the tasting bars made of a single, western maple, to the black and white family photographs that adorn the walls, along with an impressive Roosevelt elk rack. Surrounding the tasting room are beautiful casks of individually crafted spirits, each bearing a unique name and carrying its own meaning.
Justin and Jennifer Stiefel opened Heritage Distilling Company in late 2012, where they have created award-winning spirits and innovative programs that bring their slogan to life. Guests can join in the “Your Whiskey, Your Way” programs called My Batch or Cask Club, in which, for the first time, members can legally engage in the crafting of their own spirits. Members receive a 10-liter private oak cask filled with a customized spirit, aged to their liking, along with other privileges.
You can get up close to the action during a tour of the distillery. Tours begin daily in the tasting room before you are given a firsthand look at the engineering involved in creating each of the unique spirits offered by HDC. You are shown the mash tank, where the process begins, and then continue to the various fermentation tanks, each one named for a member of the Stiefel family. Finally, you meet “Nonna,” a 2,000-liter custom Italian still, fabricated of copper and stainless steel, before the tour concludes back in the tasting room.
Stop by for a distillery tour or a sampling and perhaps you will find the inspiration to create a spirit that tells your story.
ANDREA LERUM
3207 57th St Ct NW, Gig Harbor
253.509.0008
heritagedistilling.com