Much like craft breweries, local distilleries and tasting rooms have popped up across Richmond for folks looking for stronger flavors and higher alcohol percentages.
We’ve found seven local distilleries with something for any spirit stan.
Reservoir Distillery | 1800 Summit Ave. | Monday + Wednesday-Saturday 1-9 p.m., Sunday 1-6 p.m. | Try out their Hunter & Scott Bourbon for a cocktail mixer, or shoot it neat.
Virago Spirits | 1727 Rhoadmiller St. | Thursday 4-9:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 2-9:30 p.m., Sunday 2-6 p.m. | Sign up for a distillery tour to sample an array of Virago’s offerings.
Belle Isle Moonshine | 615 Maury St. | Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Belle Isle sells bottles with wild infusions such as Honey Habanero. You can also try out a canned cocktail, like the Blood Orange Smash.
Trial & Error Distillery | 1606 W. Main St. | Wednesday 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday 1-7 p.m. | Pick your poison such as Italian favorites Grappa and Limoncello along with 20+ other spirits, including cordials to flavor mixed drinks.
Hill Top Distillery | 2750 Maidens Loop | Friday 1-6 p.m., Saturday 1-7 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. | A family operation, Hill Top offers more traditional spirits like bourbon and gin and creative concoctions like coffee-flavored whiskey and strawberry moonshine.
Cirrus Vodka | 1603 Ownby Ln. | Thursday-Friday 5-9 p.m., Saturday 1-9 p.m., Sunday 1-6 p.m. | Cirrus offers a Bloody Mary Bar on Sundays made with its vodka and mix. It also just announced a tasting room to be opened in the former home of Blue Bee Cidery.
Three Crosses Distilling Co. | 3235 Old Buckingham Rd. | Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | A quick drive to Powhatan brings you to a haven of spirits from rum to whiskey to gin all created by co-owners John and Michelle Davenport.
Bonus: If you want a taste of the distillery experience with none of the booze, Richmond’s got several non-alcoholic options, too.
