The San Juan Island Distillery in Friday Harbor, WA, is a great place to visit during your stay at Tucker House Inn. If you’re looking for an exquisite tasting room experience, then this is definitely the place to go. At the San Juan Island Distillery, you will find award-winning brandy, a gorgeous copper still imported from Germany, and some local varieties of gin, brandy, and liqueur. This is also your exclusive option for where to buy Spy Hop gin! Here are 7 reasons why you need to visit the San Juan Island Distillery.
Why You Need to Visit the San Juan Island Distillery
1. Award-Winning Brandy
The San Juan Island Distillery makes 12 different gins, a variety of liqueurs, flavored brandies, and an award-winning brandy! This famed apple brandy won gold and best in class from the American Craft Spirits Association and best in class from the American Distilling Institute!
2. Westcott Bay Cider Owners
The San Juan Island Distillery is under the same ownership as Westcott Bay Cider, another popular venue in the San Juan Islands. Business partners Rich Anderson and Suzy and Hawk Pingree work together to create small-batch ciders and spirits. So, whichever you’re in the mood for, know you have more than one option! Also, rest assured knowing that the owners have a range of experience.
3. Beautiful Copper Still
The San Juan Island Distillery features a gorgeous Adolf Adrian pot handmade in Germany and constructed from hammered copper inside and out. Fifty gallons of Wescott Bay Cider is poured into this magnificent still and heated up slowly to create the best quality spirits. The concoction then goes into old 59-gallon French Limousin oak barrels for aging.
4. Rainshadow Dry Vermouth
The Rainshadow Dry Vermouth at the San Juan Island Distillery is a new entry that fortifies Madeleine Angevine wine from the San Juan Vineyards with grape brandy. Complex, deep flavors arrive from 12 botanicals, almost all from the islands. Combined with gin and after aging in small oak barrels, the Rainshadow Dry Vermouth will make a martini drinker out of anyone!
5. Saturday Tastings
Enjoy the beautiful San Juan Island Distillery setting along with some delicious flavors during a Saturday tasting. Exclusive tastings are available only on Saturdays from 1-4 pm.
6. 12 Different Gins
That’s right; the San Juan Island Distillery makes 12 different gins, all featuring the quaint Orca logo associated with the company. You can choose from a range of Spy Hop gins, including the Harvest Select Navy Strength, Seaside, Barreled, Elderflower, Juniper, Berry, or Citrus- just to name a few!
7. Apple Eau de Vie
The Apple Eau de Vie, meaning water for life, is distilled beverage made from Washington estate heirloom apple varieties. It features a clean taste in the form of a clear brandy that goes through a double distillation and fermentation process. This is what is aged in oak barrels to later become Calvados-like apple brandy.
After the San Juan Island Distillery
After enjoying your tasting at the San Juan Island Distillery and exploring some other San Juan Island restaurants, bars, and shops for the afternoon, come back to Tucker House Inn for the evening. At the adjacent Coho Restaurant, you can continue indulging your palate with a wonderful culinary experience. For more to see and do in the San Juan Islands, download our free vacation guide!
Photo Credits: San Juan Island Distillery
