Ride the Rye Road to Maryland’s Distillers of Distinction RAISE YOUR SPIRITS Talk about tradition. Marylanders have been distilling the finest spirits for five centuries now, and once-ubiquitous “Maryland Rye” is making a hard-charging comeback thanks to new makers reviving beloved traditions across the state. Sagamore Spirits is helping lead the way along this new rye road from their gorgeous distillery in Baltimore’s waterfront Port Covington community. Not to be outdone, Charm City is home to the Baltimore Spirits Company, offering tours as part of the Union Collective in the hip Hampden neighborhood. And Old Line Spirits is another local favorite founded by a pair of naval aviators who bought a still in Oregon and shipped it off to Maryland to make their whiskey dreams reality. Bootjack Rye Whiskey from McClintock Distilling Company in Frederick has already brought home multiple gold medals, proving Maryland is still where it’s at when you’re talking rye. Springfield Manor in Thurmont is a true triple threat with a winery, a brewery, and a distillery best known for its flavored gins. Cobalt Rye Whiskey by Schmidt’s Spirits is an eagerly anticipated 2021 release: two parts rye, one part wheat, and aged in a sugary rum cask—it’s a true love-letter to Maryland ryes of old. Blackwater Distilling makes award-winning gin, vodka, and Irish whiskey on Kent Island, and you can continue your tour of the shore with a stop at Lyon Rum in St. Michaels, where making double-distilled rum in small pot stills is a true art. In Ocean City, Seacrets Distilling Company makes a full range of spirits, with an Orange Vodka perfect for a true Maryland Orange Crush. BlueDyer Distilling in Waldorf has a tradition dating back before Prohibition and is making waves with their slightly sweet and fully sophisticated Port Barrel Finished Whiskey. Tobacco Barn Distillery around the corner in Hollywood pays tribute to Maryland’s oldest ghost story with its Moll Dyer Cinnamon Whiskey. For more fun, try Southern Trail in nearby Mechanicsville with a line of flavored moonshines. Whatever your pleasure, Maryland has just the craft drink to raise your spirits. Find more about Maryland Spirits & Distilleries at: marylandspirits.org Photos: (from top) Sagamore Spirits Baltimore (Sagamore Spirits), Old Line Spirits (Old Line Spirits) DESTINATION MARYLAND / 55
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2021 Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 55
