Vintner's Vodka and Seneca Drums Gin - Award Winners at NYSA!

We entered our first spirits competition a few weeks ago, the newly-founded New York Spirits Awards. The competition was open to international brands, large and small. The judging panel consisted of some very well respected people in the industry - mixologists, top retailers, and spirits sommeliers. They evaluated each entry on a 100 point scale with points awarded for appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel and finish.

So how did we do? Pretty damn well. Our two entries, Vintner's Vodka and Seneca Drums Gin were both awarded Best in Class Awards. These awards went to the top 20% of all entries in each category. We were thrilled to get the news over the weekend.

If you want to see all the results, click here. Be sure to head out to your local retailer this weekend to pick up some of these award winning spirits.

Wine Guy Column

Jeff Richards ran a follow-up article on our business in 3 local papers yesterday: the Elmira Star Gazette, Ithaca Journal, and Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin. Check it out here.




He also included a number of recent pictures of our production space and tasting room.

Visit from former Master Distiller at Michter's

Yesterday, we had a great visit with Dick and Elaine Stoll. Dick worked for the old Michter's Distillery in Schaefferstown, PA and was Master Distiller when the plant closed in 1990. He had a lot of insight into the business, as did Elaine who spent some time with Michter's, as well.

Dick sampled a bit of our Bourbon and Rye, and much to our delight, thought it was right on track to be some pretty good whiskey.

They were also very gracious visitors and brought some of the good old-time Michter's Rye that
was produced in the mid-1960s and bottled in the 1980s. If you can't tell by the giddy look on Thomas's face in the picture below, we were pretty excited to sample some Pennsylvania Rye that was made over 40 years ago. Also pictured from L to R are my uncle, Mike Matera, Dick Stoll, and my dad, Bill McKenzie.

Upcoming Tastings

Today (6/13): Lighthouse Liquors, Elmira, 3-6 pm

Friday (6/19): Wright's Beverages, Watkins Glen, 4-6:30 pm

Landmark Liquor, Penn Yan, 5-7:30 pm

Saturday (6/20): Bottles & Corks, Corning 2-5 pm

Please come out to sample and buy some newly-released vodka and gin.

First Product Releases

We are happy to announce that we now have 3 products available for distribution. As with everything we do at Finger Lakes Distilling, these products are handcrafted and are made predominately from ingredients found in our region. We have been working to get the products out to retailers in the following markets: Watkins Glen, Ithaca, Elmira, Corning, and Penn Yan. You can find them in many liquor stores in those areas and a select number of bars/restaurants. They are also available at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua, both for sale by the bottle and on their innovative new cocktail menu. Please contact us at brian@fingerlakesdistilling.com if you need information about where to find us.

We will continue to expand our retail outlets (hopefully in Rochester next week) and are working to get our tasting room open in early July. In the meantime, we have several tastings planned at liquor stores and will provide information about times and locations through our blog and Facebook page.

Here is some info about the products. All sell at a suggested retail price of $29.




Vintner's Vodka is made using a unique process that combines the ancient practices of the winemaker (the Vintner) with the age-old methods of the Master Distiller. In our custom-built copper still, we distill our signature blend of local grapes, including those that are hand-harvested from our own vineyard. The finished product is a vodka that's deeply rooted in the land and people from which it came. Each sip of Vintner's Vodka should be smooth, yet unabashedly full of character.

Vintner's Wild Berry is made using a unique process that combines the ancient practices of the winemaker (the Vintner) with the age-old methods of the Master Distiller. In our custom-built copper still, we distill our signature blend of local grapes, including those that are hand-harvested from our own vineyard. The spirit is then infused with native strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries before a final distillation to further refine the taste and balance.

On warm summer evenings, the legendary Seneca Drums rumble over the deep, still waters of Seneca Lake. Some believe the distant booms are a message from the Iroquois who inhabited the area hundreds of years ago, while others believe they are simply the result of geothermal reactions.

Seneca Drums Gin, like the phenomenon for which it is named, is an expressive, yet harmonious, London-style dry gin, distilled from our own local grape spirit and a signature blend of 11 botanicals. The end result is a gin that is legendary in its own right, sure to resonate with both new gin drinkers and traditionalists.

Product available soon (like within the week)!

We're starting to move some product out to retailers in the following markets: Watkins Glen, Elmira-Corning, Ithaca, Penn Yan, Geneva, Canandaigua, and Rochester. Stay tuned for an announcement of what will be available. In the meantime, be sure to ask your liquor-shop-of- choice whether or not they will be on board. Thanks for your support.

Article in Syracuse Post Standard

This morning's paper included a piece on how craft distilling is taking off in our region. As the only stand-alone distillery of the group, we were featured prominently in the story.

You can read it here.