Last August Grey Sail launched its first of spirits with their sister company South County Distillers. Production was originally set for spring 2020, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March, April, and may 2020 the distillery changed their production of spirits to making hand sanitizer for frontline workers. Once Rhode Island started to reopen, their production was back on track to begin releasing vodka and gin. You can purchase bottles at your local packy or some in for a bottle at Grey Sail Brewery. You can also try craft cocktails in the Grey Sail Beer garden.
So a year later, South County Distillers is still going strong, making vodka from rye and wheat that creates a smooth spirit that is both dry and crisp with subtle spice notes. Their gin begins with a foundation of grains that is infused with their secret blend of botanicals that produce floral, spice, and citrus notes with a juniper backbone. This company is constantly adding in new products and have gone beyond just gin and vodka. Here are some updates on their recent releases.
This year South County Distillers began making an unnamed malt whiskey as a base alcohol for their Rye Cask Gin. This lends more body and mouthfeel than is typical for gin. After distillation South County rests it for 8 months in two separate casks, rye whiskey, and sherry. Their barrel rested gin cocktails combine spirit distilled from 100% malt with juniper berries, dried cranberries and cherries, roasted nuts, savory herbs and sweet citrus zest. This gin is then rested for several months in used casks. This gin can be a nice substitute for whiskey in cocktails or sipped neat. By resting the gin in a sherry cask this allows for all of those dark berry and fruit flavors to really shine. This is the perfect beverage for autumn in Rhode Island. Wine, whiskey, and gin lovers can unite over this gin.
Just a few weeks ago they released their Whisky Rye. This was their first whiskey release and is made from 100% rye. It is bottled at 90 proof and has a deep copper color. It has all of the traditional spice of rye whiskey, complimented with some nice fruit notes that tend to get lost in older ryes. Each batch of South County Rye features a unique blend of specialty malts, grains, and rye. Then they age it in new, charred American oak barrels for 15 months. Sip this neat or make a Manhattan.
Last month, in September 2021, they also released a Reposado Agave. It is their first barrel aged product as it was rested in used rye casks for 10 months. This is their Blanco Agave Spirit that is aged in oak casks for many months. Those extra months yields for a mellow, straw colored spirit with hints of honey and vanilla. This can be sipped neat or used in place of their Blanco. This release was limited and is only available at Grey Sail.
In early September 2021 South County decided summer wasn’t over with their release of a Botanical Rum. They re-distilled their white rum with real tropical fruits and spices. This rum is a union of their white rum and over 2 dozen tropical fruits and exotic spices. This results in a highly aromatic spirit that transports you to a tropical island. Mix this rum with a spicy ginger beer or to a mojito for a tropical twist.
October 2020 was also a big month for South County Distillers as they branched out into canned cocktails with their Sugar Reef line. They offer a variety of flavors like mojito, dragonfruit vodka soda, ranch water, mango vodka soda, watermelon lime vodka soda, pineapple vodka soda, and tangerine vodka soda. These ready to drink cocktails get their name from the reef off the coast of Watch Hill, Rhode Island.
Also in October 2020 they released their South County Agave Spirit. This gives a slight nod to your favorite spirit from southern border. It is distilled fin 100% blue agave that allows this Agave to have a smooth sip. Pair this with some guacamole, chips, and salsa. You can get this Agave at Grey sail or your local packy.
After taking months off to create hand sanitizer, South County came back strong. In August 2020 South County expanded their line by adding rum into the mix. This rum begins with the finest grade of molasses. A hot fermentation with Caribbean rum yeast creates fruity flavors that are captured in their slow distillation. This results in a smooth and buttery rum that suitable for sipping or mixed in a cocktail.
As you can see South County Distillers has continued to increase their line up of options and constantly grow their brand. Many of their spirits can be found in local package stores across Rhode Island and Connecticut or you can spot by Grey Sail to grab a bottle or a specialty cocktail. If you are visiting the area then be sure to take a little bit of Westerly Rhode Island with you. Whether you chose spirits from South County or craft beers from Grey Sail. The options are endless with these sister companies. Let us know which ones you like best.
