Great locally made spirits and food from their kitchen is awesome as well. Friendly owners and…read moreservers all!

A nice hidden gem! Drinks were amazing, severs were friendly, and the patio is a great spot to sit…read moreand enjoy some sun. The inside was bare when we arrived, but the place started to liven up. My husband did get the pulled pork sandwich and was not a fan, but I thought the crab dip pizza was delicious! We also got the potato dippers were a fun little snack. Hoping to be able to check this place out more!

I was looking up things to do while we were in town for a wedding and found this distillery with a…read morefree tour! I reserved our spots online and checked us in when we arrived. We had a bit of time to browse the store before the tour started. The tour was about an hour and included a free tasting. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and led us through the history of Virginia's oldest distillery. He was a bit hard to understand and talked VERY fast, which made it tough to absorb much of the info. However, for a free activity I enjoyed it. The best part of course was the tasting at the end. We were led through how to taste the spirits and given water and crackers as palate cleansers. We tried one of their gins, two bourbons, and the caramel bourbon cream liqueur. The bourbon cream was delicious and so smooth! I really liked the gin as well. We all ended up buying at least one bottle, so I'd say it was a success.

Visited Bowman Distillery and overall had a really enjoyable experience…read more The tour itself was a little on the longer side, but the guide was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the process. He took the time to explain everything in detail, which gave a great appreciation for how much goes into making their bourbon. After the tour, we had the opportunity to taste several of their bourbons, which was definitely a highlight. Each one had its own unique flavor profile, and it was a fun and engaging experience to compare them. Overall, a great stop if you enjoy bourbon and want to learn more about the craft. Just be prepared for a slightly longer tour, but it is worth it for the knowledge and tasting experience.

In an attempt to go on more solo dates, I decided to book a last-minute ticket to a quote unplugged…read morequote experience at this distillery. Arrive promptly at 2 PM only to learn that the show didn't start until 2:45 PM - absolutely cool because it gave me the opportunity to engage with the bar staff and just sit back and people watch a bit. This little spot is busy because for a Sunday, they have lots of customers coming in to buy bottles of their whiskey. Now I'm no whiskey connoisseur but I will say that stuff is smooth as all get out. I ended up ordering a whiskey drink that had sorrow, but it was a bit too strong for my liking. Second drink, I ordered before we actually walked into the spot was a whiskey, sour, a little bit more on my speed. Upon entering the main area where the performances were being held, what I didn't know if they had a cigar room upstairs. As a asthmatic, that can be a little dangerous for me, but they do have a good ventilation system, so it wasn't so bad. The opening act, which I unfortunately forgot her name, was absolutely excellent. Lovely singing voice, but a main attraction, J.Aria, she literally has the voice of an angel. And lets not forget Daz (come on Dazzzzz!!!) I could have stayed there and listened to them All. Day. Long! This is a spot. I definitely plan to return to as I learned. They have different events throughout the year, but I will for surely and without question be back for another unplugged experience just so I can hear that you have ladies sing again.

If you want a quieter experience, drop by on a Wednesday evening. I don't know about the weekends,…read morebut Thursday and Friday are usually busy. I'm pretty sure the weekends are too. It is not a huge place, but it has such a charm to it and is literally the definition of a hidden gem. There's a bunch of industrial buildings and offices on the street past the police station on 301, and you will find this. The parking lot is a lengthy one, but it doesn't take much for it to fill up if the place is popping. Every staff member I have interacted with has been super awesome... I find myself seeing Cyrus the most, cool guy! They make and sell their own spirits, and I would say they have something for everybody. I tend to go for their margarita and Maryland Five Star for cocktails, which use their tequila and whiskey respectively. Sometimes the back room is used for special events, but you will see a lot of barrels and other storage stuff back there. There is a secret cigar lounge upstairs, which I haven't really gotten to hang out in since I don't smoke. But I did take a peek inside and it looks really nice. They sell some random other things, like snacks, board games about bourbon, and more. Do yourself a favor and go, you won't regret it. They aren't the bourbon of the Commanders for no reason!

Came here last night and got to try their spirits. My fiancé had their gin and I tried their vodka…read more They have some unique flavors that are made between their gin and their vodka. Reservations are required as they are currently in a small facility. We ended up also buying three different bottles from them as well. Will be back and happy to have a local distillery near by!

A really cool date night option! You need to make a reservation online ahead of time. You show up…read moreat a shipping loading dock (so it can seem intimidating but their instruction email lays it all out) and call the number they provide in your confirmation email to be brought in. It is $25 total to reserve the spot, you just tell them how many people are in your group, and that gets taken off your bill at the end. Our host was David--he was awesome! It's an intimate setting and comfortable. David walked us through the origins of Orkney and what they have to offer. The men on our date night ordered the gin flight and the ladies all decided on the vodka flight. We enjoyed the flights and each ordered a cocktail after. Price wise this is a great date night! The vodkas and gins were all very impressive. We all kept talking about cocktails we could envision each in. Completely recommend taking the dive and trying it out!

When it's over 100 degrees outside and you're exploring St. Michaels on foot, air conditioning…read morebecomes an attraction. While wandering around town during my Fourth of July weekend solo adventure, I decided to duck into the LYON RUM Distillery & Golden Hour Rum Room to escape the heat for a bit. I'd heard good things, figured a little rum tasting sounded like a perfectly reasonable vacation activity and, let's be honest, rum and vacation seem to go together. I stopped in on a Friday afternoon and found a handful of people already inside chatting, tasting rum and enjoying the space. One of the first things I noticed had nothing to do with the rum itself. It was the tasting room. I've visited a few tasting rooms over the years, but this one had so much personality. The décor was warm, colorful and thoughtfully put together. It felt inviting without trying too hard, and I immediately found myself looking around almost as much as I was looking at the bottles. It wasn't just a place to sample rum. It felt like a place you'd genuinely want to spend some time. The woman behind the tasting counter couldn't have been friendlier. She explained that I was welcome to sample any of the complimentary tasting offerings. Since I'm definitely not a liquor expert, I decided to keep things simple and chose the coconut and pineapple rums. The coconut was an immediate winner for me. It was incredibly smooth with just the right tropical flavor. Honestly, I could picture myself putting a bottle in the refrigerator on a hot summer day and pouring a little into a glass while sitting outside watching the sunset. As I said...dangerous. The pineapple rum was good too, but the pineapple means business! It lets you know immediately that you're drinking rum. As someone who doesn't drink much liquor, it packed a little more punch than I personally enjoy. I can absolutely see why someone who loves both rum and pineapple would gravitate toward it, but for me the coconut was the clear favorite. There were plenty of other varieties available to sample, but I knew my limits and decided two tastings were the perfect amount for me. Instead, I spent a few more minutes browsing the shop and taking everything in. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices, especially considering the rum is handcrafted in small batches right there in St. Michaels. I also love supporting businesses that are proud of where they are, and LYON RUM clearly embraces its Eastern Shore roots. You can feel that throughout the entire experience. PRO TIP: Even if you aren't a big liquor drinker, stop in anyway. The complimentary tastings are a fun way to try something new, the tasting room is beautiful and if you're visiting during one of Maryland's summer heat waves...the air conditioning alone is worth the stop! If you're spending time in St. Michaels, I'd absolutely recommend adding LYON RUM to your itinerary. Come for the rum, stay for the atmosphere and don't be surprised if you leave wishing you'd bought a bottle of the coconut rum!

I have been a longtime fan of Lyon Rum, but unfortunately, that's no longer the case…read more I recently visited the Golden Hour Rum Room and was extremely disappointed by the lack of hospitality. It was over 100 degrees outside, and there was an extreme heat warning in effect. When I walked in, I realized the Rum Room was operating by reservation only that day, which I completely understood. However, because of the dangerous heat, I simply asked for a glass of water. The hostess refused to provide one. I would have happily paid for bottled water or any available option, but the complete unwillingness to offer even a glass of water during extreme heat was disappointing and showed a lack of basic customer care. Based on this experience alone, I would give zero stars if I could. It's unfortunate because I had been a loyal supporter of Lyon Rum for years, but this experience has completely changed my opinion.

Attended last year's Halloween Drag Brunch with my gal pals and we had an absolute blast! The event…read moreconsisted of delicious craft cocktails, yummy bottomless brunch options, good music, and high-energy entertainment. They host events (e.g., distillery tasting tours, comedy shows, fitness classes, fish fry, watch parties, etc.) here often, so I'll be keeping an eye on the calendar for more fun. __ I eat. @f.hux I thrift. @DCthriftish

Copper Compass is a little hidden gem. I recommend doing a sampling of their bottles first, then…read moreask the wonderful TK for her recommendation on cocktails - she never steers you wrong! TK is very friendly and always has some good suggestions and may even be working on a new cocktail, so it's worth asking! This place is a must visit in the area. Grab a few bottles on the way out. They're worthwhile!

I have been coming here like forever.. They were a small…read moretasting place to now a huge building with tours, tastings and amazing restaurant next door and an excellent store that go with it. 1. Reservation: Necessary! 2. Tasting is fun and doesn't come with food obviously, so eat before! 3. Store: great choices to get gifts. 4. Distillery tour: if you are into it.. sure. 5. Service: excellent! All in all, my favorite place.

After many trips to the DMV, we decided to do a little exploring during our latest visit. After a…read morehalf an hour Lyft ride, we found our way to the Murlarkey Distillery in Manassas. Once on the compound, it was difficult to miss; large glass doors and walls with the humongous crest on the front of the building. We decided to do a walk in tasting and were lucky enough to have Jonathon be our guide to all the outstanding spirits made at the distillery. Jonathon was extremely knowledgeable about the distillery's history, products, and merch. Jonathon's passion for the distillery was continually on display, and he kept the spirits light with his unique brand of humor. Be mindful that the tasting room was packed, so I also recommend making a reservation to ensure you can enjoy the experience. The options for the tasting were the clear or amber flight options. The clear choices being some of the steeped fruit and tea liquors, served with mixers for their signature cocktails. These drinks were what the distillery was most known for. The ambers were their more recent whiskey offerings, consisting of differing ageing and steeping techniques, to create their very different spirit flavors and textures. Jonathon was able to give us the history of each spirit, as well as provide mixing options, if they were a little strong for the palette. The ambers were all unique and each provided a little something for you to think over and you tasted your way through the Murlarkey display. We really enjoyed the tasting, the whiskey, the ambience, and especially Jonathon, who made the experience totally worthwhile. We grabbed a couple bottles, some of their great Bootlegger Boys merch, and made our way to their cocktail bar, Proof to taste some more of their signature cocktails. If you're in the area and looking for a fun way to spend a couple hours, look no further than the Murlarkey Distillery. Hope to see you soon.

I've stopped in twice for drinks and I love that they keep the menu fresh by retaining their…read moreclassics and spicing it up with seasonal cocktails. The space isn't huge and their hours are limited, but I love stopping by for a spirit forward cocktail. The bartenders are very personable. Sangfroid distills their own spirits, so it's true the drinks tend to lead with that taste. I've enjoyed everything I've tried here. They also are at the gateway farmers market and I've picked up pear brandy from them there.

Inviting place with cheerful barkeeps; all are knowledgeable about the history of Sangfroid, the…read morebrand. This local distillery has a bar/tasting area which, of course, features the results of their special alchemy. I'd purchased their apple brandy at a farmer's market; put some into an apple cobbler that I baked, and, wowie, did that cobbler zing! So, decided to check out Sangfroid's retail space to taste some of their other products--I wasn't disappointed. Their liquors are lovingly made and rich; can taste the difference immediately. Had a White Russian, made with Sangfroid's coffee liquor that uses coffee from nearby Vigilante's, a local coffee house/roaster. It's delicious and bold. Jeff Bridges would love this White Russian (movie hint: What "The Dude" drinks in The Big Lebowski). Also tried a Hot Cider, made with their pear bandy--yummy. Walked out with a bottle of their Old Dutch Style Gin and some of their maple syrup. The maple syrup is a partnership with a maple syrup producer from Vermont. Sangfroid ages it in rye barrels. Marketed as "Strong Syrup", it's top-notch stuff. Open 3 days a week, I've encouraged them to increase the hours! Conveniently located on Route 1, in Hyattsville, MD, across from Franklin's Restaurant.

My 3rd time on their tour, and with the $2.50 special, I couldn't miss out. The tour is very…read moreinformative, begins with a cocktail and ends with a tasting as shown in the pics. You get to see it all as you walk through the facilities from cooking the mash to bottling. Tours differ slightly with each tour guide, but show up curious and ready to enjoy. Outside of the tour, check out the shop for some neat gifts or additions to your bar. Also, check out the bar area for some well mixed whiskey cocktails and more. I got to enjoy the Blue Angels show from outside on the lawn. Look out for their summer and fall Whiskey on the Water event too! Think blanket, lawn chairs, food trucks, live music and whiskey styled a couple ways.

We like coming here for the flights and the ambiance. They have a gift shop inside so you can buy a…read morebottle of the one you like to take home if available. There is a small indoor bar and a large outdoor lawn space on the water, with a seasonal outdoor bar too. They frequently have a musician out on the patio playing live music on weekends, which is nice. Parking can be a bit difficult at peak times. They have a lot next to the restaurant that is free for the first couple hours, but it is not big enough for the demand.