Doire Distilling
Overview of the Distillery
Doire Distilling is located in historic downtown Derry, New Hampshire, and is a family-owned craft distillery built around a 125-gallon pot still. Opened in 2018 by Andy Day and Alana Wentworth, the distillery operates from the ground up with a mix of clear spirits and growing barrel-aged whiskey projects. A visit offers tasting-room flights, to-go retail sales, and close collaboration with local breweries and wine producers.
History
Andy Day and Alana Wentworth opened Doire Distilling in August 2018 as Derry’s first craft distillery. Initially they produced clear and lightly aged spirits; their first flagship product was a high-proof spirit named '01'. Soon they expanded the lineup to include gin, rum, and vodka and launched collaborative series such as Single Cut, a white-whiskey collection made in collaboration with local breweries. In parallel, the distillery began laying down casks, leading to projects with peated whiskey, an Irish single malt, bourbon, and a 100% Malt Rye. In 2020, Doire was awarded two bronze medals by the American Distillers Institute.
Raw Materials and Production
Production takes place on a 125-gallon pot still in a small, family-owned setup, where they prioritize small-batch and 'from-scratch' approaches. The distillery produces both clear spirits (rum, vodka, and gin) and also works on whiskey production and aging. Part of the work has involved collaborations with local breweries on white whiskey releases, while other projects are actual aging projects. Beyond pot-still distillation, there are no details given about yeast strains, fermentation times, or water sources.
Aging and Cask Types
Doire has continually laid down casks for several whiskey projects. Among the mentioned projects are peated whiskey, an Irish single malt, bourbon, and a 100% Malt Rye. The actual cask types are not specified, but the work includes both early, lightly aged releases and longer-term barrel-aging projects.
Whiskeys
The portfolio ranges from clear spirits to early, award-winning whiskey releases. In the retail listing, products available in New Hampshire include 01 'Moonshine' (120 proof, 750 ml), Sugarshine (80 proof, 750 ml), The Flush Gin (90 proof, 750 ml), and 3 Queens Gin (90 proof, 750 ml). On the whiskey side appear names and projects such as Prototype Peated Whisky, Single Cut white whiskey series, Irish single malt, bourbon projects, and a 100% Malt Rye. Several products are sold in NH Liquor Outlets and at selected on-premise locations.
| Whiskey | Type / Series | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prototype Peated Whisky | Peated whiskey | Barrel-aged (type not specified); smoky/peat-smoked | One of the distillery's early aged whiskey releases, named Prototype Peated Whisky and also awarded at ADI 2020. |
| Single Cut (white whiskey collaborative series) | White whiskey (collaboration) | A series of white whiskey releases made in collaboration with local breweries, including Kelsen Brewing Company and Martha’s Exchange. | |
| 100% Malt Rye whiskey | Rye whiskey (100% malted rye) | Barrel-aged (type not specified) | A newer aging project at Doire, described as a 100% Malt Rye whiskey. |
| Irish Single Malt | Single malt | Barrel-aged (type not specified) | Doire has worked on an Irish single malt as one of their aging projects. |
| Bourbon (barrel project) | Bourbon (project) | Barrel-aged (type not specified) | Doire has initiated a bourbon aging project as part of their barrel-aging work. |
General Flavor Profile
Visit the Distillery
Doire is located at 1 1/2 East Broadway in Derry and has a tasting room, offering flights and to-go retail sales. Doire Distilling & Meadow Vineyards are open Thursdays–Fridays 4:00–7:00 PM and Saturdays 1:00–7:00 PM; Sundays–Mondays closed. Reservations are not required. For direct contact and questions you can write to crafted@doiredistilling.com. The building features a large historic Derry mural.
The stated hours are Thu–Fri 4:00–7:00 PM; Sat 1:00–7:00 PM; Sun–Mon Closed.
Philosophy and Craft
Doire positions itself as a family-owned, small-batch distillery focused on creating spirits from scratch. The place combines craftsmanship with local roots through collaborations with nearby breweries and wine producers and integrates distillery operations into downtown Derry’s local scene.
Awards and Recognitions
- Bronze medals (2020, 2 Bronze medals including Spud Slight Vodka and Prototype Peated Whisky)