New England Distilling

Brief overview of the distillery

New England Distilling is a craft distillery in Portland, Maine, producing rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, and rum. The distillery rests on a six-generation family history, and the site is of interest to those who want to see pot still distillation, learn about ingredient choices, and taste finished spirits in a small retail shop.

History

The Wight family has roots in distilling dating to the mid-19th century, when John Jacob Wight took over a declining distillery in Hunt Valley and began producing Sherwood Rye Whiskey. A controlling stake was sold in 1868, and in the late 1870s Sherwood Rye is said to have been stockpiled by the U.S. Army. After Edward Hyatt's death in 1894, John Hyatt Wight led the business into the 20th century. The distillery closed at the start of Prohibition in 1920; the family later resumed distilling in other forms until the mid-20th century. In 2011, Ned Wight was described as owner and distiller for New England Distilling in Portland, marking a revival of the family's distilling tradition.

Raw materials and production

Production takes place primarily in pot stills. The rum is distilled in direct-fired pot stills from Caribbean molasses, while the distillation of rye, bourbon and gin is also described as handcrafted small-batch production. Tours of the distillery cover raw material choices, fermentation, and how pot stills affect the distillate; visitors have the opportunity to smell the distillate in various stages. The number of stills, fermentation times, and full technical specifications are not specified on the pages.

Maturation and cask types

For the Eight Bells rum product, the documented aging is in bourbon whiskey barrels; the rum has been aged in these barrels for over three years. Beyond this, there are no detailed details about the barrels for rye or bourbon on the available pages. The use of bourbon barrels for the rum demonstrates the reuse of previous bourbon contents as part of the maturation strategy.

Whiskies

The range includes rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, and rum. The web text highlights Eight Bells Rum in particular, a barrel-matured golden rum aged in bourbon barrels for over three years and with several awards. Sherwood Rye appears as a historical part of the family heritage. There are few details about current rye and bourbon releases or age statements for these spirit types.

Visiting the distillery

The distillery welcomes visitors and offers guided tours Monday–Friday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm; tours cost $10 per person and include a tasting. Visitors must call to reserve a spot. The retail shop is open during the week and sells bottles and merchandise as well as provides insight into the production.

The stated hours are Retail and Tastings: Mon–Fri 1:00–4:00 pm; other pages generally show Mon–Fri 1:00–5:00 pm and Saturday 12:00–6:00 pm.

Philosophy and craft

The distillery's values emphasize handmade, small-batch production and a six-generation family heritage. Traditional pot still methods are highlighted as a central part of the craft.

Awards and recognitions

• Gold (Eight Bells Rum)

• Gold (Eight Bells Rum)

• Gold (Eight Bells Rum)

• Silver (Eight Bells Rum)