On January 17th, 1920, the United States went dry. The 18th Amendment made it illegal to manufacture, sell, or transport alcohol. Distilleries across the country were shut down. It didn’t stop New York City from consuming and the city roared on through the 20s. Still, many businesses that sold spirits before the 18th Amendment was ratified could not continue.
100 years after prohibition, distilleries are popping up once again across New York City. Being a whiskey fan, I love visiting distilleries whenever I travel. Since there is a whiskey distillery right in Manhattan, I thought I should check it out. My brother-in-law Joshua, who partnered with me on my trip along the Bourbon Trail, went with me to visit Great Jones Distilling.
Great Jones Distilling is the first whiskey distillery since prohibition to open up in Manhattan. The distillery is gorgeous and has a lovely bar to drink a cocktail and a restaurant. We didn’t spend time at the restaurant but spent a lot of time inside the bar.
We toured the distillery and had a great guide walk us through the prohibition era and into the current state of distilling in New York City. Our tour guide was great and handing out information about the Great Jones and instructing us how to sip whiskey and experience the full flavor of the drink.
For whiskey lovers living in NYC or for those visiting New York City, look into touring Great Jones Distilling. And then, after, try one of the many great cocktails at the bar.
Love spirits? Check out these articles:
Itinerary for the Bourbon Trail
10 Tips for Traveling the Bourbon Trail
Wine Tasting with the Kids in Provence
Necessary “Me Time” at Black Button Distillery
Here are some of my favorite cocktail recipes:
Old Fashioned
Paloma
Manhattan
Irish Coffee
Gimlet
Negroni
Rainbow Cocktail