Hidden Along Maine's Majestic Coast Is A Distillery Trail Offering A Laid-Back Taste Of Local Craft

Craft distilleries are having a moment. Twenty years ago, American distilleries were few and far between, but by the mid-2000s, small-scale craft distilleries hit their stride. There are now more than 2,700 craft distilleries across the country, making far more than just whiskey and bourbon. You don't have to go to the "Rum Capital of the World" in the Caribbean to enjoy an authentic glass of this sweet liquor. Try sipping KOPI, a coffee-flavored rum made in Maine. Yes, that Northeastern state known for lobsters and hiking trails is now making rum that will transport you back to coconut-inspired cocktails on the beach. 

If that sounds like the tasting journey for you, the Maine Distillers Guild has a trail route that connects the state's profusion of craft distilleries. The distilleries make everything from whiskey and bourbon to rum, gin, and vodka. Spirit lovers can start all the way south in York, or if they're flying in, they can begin in Portland, a lively hub on the waterfront with an international airport. Work your way north along Maine's rugged coastline to Harrington or vice versa. The important thing is to wend your way, sampling and savoring all the creative ways Maine's distilleries are reinventing spirits. 

A good place to start is Portland's New England Distilling, where visitors can tour one of the first craft distilleries to set up shop in Maine. The owner and distiller, Ned Wight, is continuing a family tradition of making Maryland-style rye whiskey. This rye uses no corn, unlike Tennessee or Kentucky Rye, only rye and barley, much of it locally sourced in Maine. The result is an award-winning, peppery spirit called Gunpowder Rye. Closer to Portland's waterfront, the Hardshore Distilling Company serves cocktails to showcase its flagship spirit, Hardshore Gin. Crafted from grains grown on the founder's family farm, this gin is infused not only with classic juniper berries, but also rosemary, mint, coriander, and orris root.  

Also on Maine's South Coast region, the Wiggly Bridge Distillery has two locations in York, a picture-perfect town of New England charm. The father and son team behind Wiggly Bridge onced joked that they loved whiskey so much they should make their own. Now they make whiskey, as well as vodka, gin, and rum. With a reservation, visitors can tour the facilities and also learn how to distill bourbon whiskey and blend barrels for the perfect batch. 

Head northeast, and you'll come to Freeport, home of Cold River Vodka made by Maine Distilleries, the only maker of potato vodka in the state. Working with local farmers, the distillery also supplies food banks with a pound of potatoes for every purchase of its specially marked vodka. This area of Maine's mid-coast has a spectacular and rugged shoreline to explore, and the coastal town of Brunswick is a good base for the area, not far from Freeport.

While some Maine distilleries have experimented beyond whiskey, gin, and vodka, others have decided to specialize. Sebago Lake Distillery in Gardiner makes one thing: rum. And all different kinds, too. Beyond the coffee-flavored rum, it also makes Spider Island, a molasses-based rum; a rum-infused sangria cocktail can; and a spicy rye-infused Portland rum, available only in Maine. Drop in to its tasting room for free tours and tastings.

For a truly decadent dive into the world of Maine distilleries, you can splurge on a room at the Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. The lower levels of this former mill are home to Batson River Brewing & Distilling. Its restaurant serves up cocktails crafted from its small-batch spirits distilled in-house.