Alex Munroe, owner of Cape Fear Distillery smiles with customer of the first Gin sale
Contributed
Cape Fear Distillery® recently sold the first legal bottle of alcohol that was distilled in Bladen County. Cape Fear Distillery®, which is part of Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery® in Elizabethtown, just released its “Maritime Gin™,” which is available for purchase at Cape Fear Distillery® now and will be available in ABC stores soon.
Rick Neisler, head distiller, says, “We wanted our first product to be special and conducive to the active lifestyle of southeastern North Carolina, so we developed a smooth, refreshing gin that’s great to sip beside the ocean or lake or enjoy in a cocktail on a boat.”
Alex Munroe, owner of Cape Fear Distillery®, whose family has been in Bladen County for five generations, sold the first bottle to his brother, John, while others lined up outside to buy more. According to a new NC law, a state distiller can sell five bottles of its distilled spirits per person per year at the distillery site, provided that the purchaser takes a distillery tour. Tours at Cape Fear Distillery® are $5.00 and include a free gin tasting.
“It literally took us six months to develop the recipe for our Maritime Gin™,” says Munroe. “The retail space for distilled spirits is very competitive, so we took a methodical approach to the gin’s development and production. We literally hand craft each bottle yet we’re able to keep the retail price at $24.95, which is difficult in small batch production. The effort has been worth it, though, because we now have a terrific gin available at a great price.”
You can find out more about the gin by visiting the distillery at 195 Vineyard Drive or going to www.CapeFearDistillery.com.
About Author
