When you think of San Diego you may think of wineries or breweries. But today, we’re talking distilleries. While relatively new to the San Diego area, the distillery boom has begun. San Diego’s craft beer and brewery culture, coupled with an affinity for embracing local products, has allowed the craft spirit industry to flourish. 

Following in the footsteps of the San Diego Brewers Guild, the San Diego Distillers Guild is a small batch of collaborative producers. Currently including 13 members, they anticipated having 20 by the end of the year, per the Los Angeles Times.

Just like with craft beers, consumers looking to get their money’s worth are willing to pay for flavorful, high-quality spirits. So let’s take a look at some of the best distilleries in and around San Diego. 

Malahat Spirits – Mira Mesa

Photo courtesy of Malahat Spirits

Located in Mira Mesa, Malahat Spirits is named after a rum ship that sailed the West Coast during Prohibition. They distillate bourbon whiskey, rye whiskey, four-grain vodka, and numerous rums. They also feature flavored rums like black tea and ginger, as well as one aged for over two years in cabernet barrels.

Co-founder Ken Lee says on their site that, “We want to make sure we use natural ingredients. By bringing out the real ingredients, the true ingredients, it completely changes the flavor.” 

Cutwater Spirits – Mira Mesa

Photo courtesy of Cutwater Spirits

Also located in Mira Mesa, Cutwater Spirits distillates bourbon whiskey, single malt whiskey, moonshine, various gins, various rums, various vodkas, canned cocktails, and various mixers. The largest distillery in the county with its 50,000-square-foot complex, Cutwater has a stainless-steel gin still, a copper bourbon still, two 6,000-gallon oak fermentation tanks, bottling and canning lines, and a 260-seat restaurant and bar. 

Cutwater won 17 medals last year at San Francisco World Spirits Competition, including gold for its bottled Devil’s Share Single Malt Whiskey and Barrel Rested Old Grove Gin, as well as its canned Bloody Mary with Fugu Vodka. 

California Spirits Company – San Marcos

Photo courtesy of California Spirits Company

San Marcos distillery California Spirits Co. distillates bourbon, single malt whiskey, silver rum, white rum, ready to drink pre-mixes (such as Coffeetini, California Mojito, and Cinnamon Apple Pie), and has a rye whiskey on the way. They also distill for several private labels, including U4Rik Vodka and Venom Vodka. 

In addition to this, the distillery created a dozen different versions of their rum by utilizing every kind of sugarcane derivatives and yeast they could get their hands on. Their Avalon rum has been a previous winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition as well as the American Distilling Institute’s Annual Conference. 

Ballast Point Spirits – Scripps Ranch

Photo courtesy of Ballast Point Spirits

Located in Scripps Ranch, Ballast Point Spirits distillates Devil’s Share Single Bourbon, Malt Whiskey, and Moonshine, four Fugu flavored vodkas (habanero, horchata, Jamaica, and pina), Three Sheets white rum, spiced rum, and barrel aged rum, Opah herbal liqueur, Old Grove Barrel Rested Gin, Old Grove Gin, and two cocktail mixers — Ballast Point Mai Tai mix and Ballast Point Bloody Mary Mix.

Initially part of the craft brewing scene, they expanded to craft liquor after a decade in the business. Their speakeasy-style tasting room offers a sample of six for $10. 

Old Harbor Distilling Co. – East Village

Photo courtesy of Old Harbor Distilling Co.

The first licensed distillery in East Village and named after the oldest harbor in California, Old Harbor Distilling Co. distillates Barrelflag Navy Strength Rum, San Miguel Southwestern Gin, and Ampersand Cold Pressed Coffee Liqueur — a collaboration with Coffee & Tea Collective. Founder Michael Skubic also has beer-brewing roots as he was a co-founder of the Hess Brewing Company.

Primarily a production facility, their spirits are distributed all over the state. Tours are currently on hold during their build out. 

Henebery Whiskey – Vista

Photo courtesy of Henebery Whiskey

Henebery Whiskey uses a custom built Vendome to distillate a 90-proof rye whiskey and Henebery Celebrated Whiskey. Established in 1851 by Matthew Henebery in Peoria, IL, it was later resurrected by owners Natalie and Jesse Fanning. Jesse told Taste the Dram, “We struggled with the idea of coming into the market with a straight whiskey, but really wanted to offer the consumer something completely new and different all while being extremely respectful to the process of making [whiskey].” 

The new Henebery began in a craft distillery in Los Angeles but now resides in Vista. They have tours and tastings with offerings of specialty cocktails, such as the Balboa, the Pedi Cab, and Port Manhattans. Henebery is all organic, utilizing cardamom, citrus, and vanilla in their infusing process. 

Liberty Call – Spring Valley

Photo courtesy of Liberty Call

Located in Spring Valley, Liberty Call makes a 123 proof “Navy Strength White rum,” a 90 proof white rum, a 90 proof spiced rum, and a four-grain (barley, corn, rye, wheat) 90 proof whiskey aged in a system typically utilized for fine brandies. With an emphasis on handcrafted distilling, Liberty Call ensures “each barrel produces the perfect amount of infused flavor of each ingredient.”

Located just 15 minutes east of Downtown San Diego, they also offer specialty cocktails, such as the Bee’s Knees, the Liberty Mojito, and Ginny the Greek. If you’d like to attend a tasting, the distillery offers six samples, each at a quarter-ounce.