We've traveled all over the state, from one farm or farmers market to another, and recently decided to branch out exploring wineries who are making amazing wines from their scuppernog or muscadine grapes, visiting both The Winery at Mercer House and Enoree River Winery.
And then I read about Gorget Distilling Company and couldn't wait to go visit. As they say on their website:
"Gorget Distilling’s name has a unique tie to both South Carolina and the birth of our country as a nation. The word gorget means a piece of armor worn around the throat in battle. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, William Moultrie was commissioned to design a flag to signal South Carolina troops. He took the blue from the soldier’s uniform and the crescent shape from the cap, designing the Moultrie or Liberty Flag. Gorget Distilling Co. was founded in 2015 by three local gentlemen who wanted to create not only a buzz about the gorget, but a following for their fine, handmade, local spirits. Isn’t it about time you #Revolutionizeyourspirit??
The grains they use come from local farms in the surrounding area, and their corn is crushed at Boykin Mill, a 100 + year old water-powered stone mill, which is a local historic mill; how cool is that?
"At Boykin Mill, corn is ground today as it has been for 200 years. Water rushing through the spillway behind the dam of the mill pond is channeled through 100-year-old turbines to power the mill. The corn is crushed between two ancient millstones which are hand dressed with with notched surfaces, and which weigh a ton each. These rotate slowly, maintaining a cool temperature to retain the essential oils and preserve the delicious flavor of the corn."
So on a nice Saturday in early November, a small group of us met at Gorget Distilling Company for a tour and tasting.
We arrived at 1 p.m. and were met by our host for the day, Hugh Thomas, one of the owners and the Distiller. After introductions all around, we began our tour, which was fascinating.
Did you know? To be vodka it has to come out of the distillery at 190 proof or higher. The distillery's rum tanks hold 136 gallons, and bourbon takes a year in the barrels and is aged in a new barrel each time.
When making whiskey or rum, which also takes a year, the barrel can be used about 2-3 times, then they sell the barrels to breweries to use. So cool.
Then we tasted! For the nominal fee of $5 per person we tasted a dozen of their liquors, from the award-winning silver rum to vodka, flavored rums, and moonshine. While I enjoyed all of them, my personal favorites are the silver rum and vodka.
Gorget Distilling Company sells all their liquors on-site, as well as has them available at retailers in the area. They also have a nice selection of T-shirts, ball caps, beautiful glasses, and other items for customers to purchase.
When you see the "certified South Carolina product" label on their bottle, you know you are getting a local, handcrafted product, produced right here in South Carolina, and that's fantastic. Anytime you can shop local and support local is a win-win, for yourself, your community, and the local business you are supporting.
Until our next adventure ...
Enjoy,
Mary
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