Belle Isle Craft Spirits has opened a tasting room at its Richmond, Virginia distillery. Even better: customers can sample up to four different kinds of moonshine for free.
Belle Isle has set up a picture-perfect bar on the floor of its distillery where customers can try up to four products — from its best-seller Honey Habanero to new runaway hit Lemon Lavender — in half-ounce tastings, neat and chilled, at no cost.
“This is the only place where you can try our entire lineup because some of these varieties aren’t carried in stores yet,” said Brandon Day, the company’s director of marketing.
Current flavor infusions at Belle Isle also include Blood Orange, Pineapple Coconut, Cold Brew Coffee, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Peppermint Patty, Strawberry Matcha and Pumpkin Pie, which can be found only at the distillery, as well as the Black Label flagship and a 100-proof version. The retail price of most bottles is $24.99.
Made from 100% organic corn, Belle Isle’s unaged corn whiskey offerings are smooth enough to work well in pretty much any vodka-based cocktail. Indeed, the company’s slogan is Replace Your Vodka.
“It’s a great way for visitors to try and buy something new — something that maybe they were too nervous to purchase online without trying first or they didn’t have access to at their local store,” added Ashley Mills, a spokesperson for Belle Isle.
But don’t show up at the Manchester distillery expecting a bar or a winery experience.
Because of regulations, aside from the half-ounce tastings, customers are not allowed to drink on the distillery premises. Customers can purchase bottles of Belle Isle Moonshine, canned cocktails and cocktail-to-go kits, but they cannot be consumed on the premises.
“This is more about education,” Day said. “People always ask, ‘What is moonshine? What does it taste like?’ And now you can find out here.”
Travel with Feast and Field to Richmond, where we spotlighted Redemption BBQ in our Pork issue.
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