In High Spirits

A taste of Alaska’s craft distilleries.

- Fran Golden

GLACIERS, WILDLIFE, AND ADVENTURE experiences of a lifetime aside, there’s a new way to get a taste of Alaska. Craft distilleries are all the rage, especially in Skagway, Haines, and Juneau, three port cities of the state’s popular Inside Passage itinerary in the Southeast.

Nine distilleries across the state are members of the Alaska Distillers Guild, including several operations in the Anchorage and Fairbanks areas. Heather Shade, a founder of the guild and co-owner of Port Chilkoot Distillery in Haines, says each region is developing its own style.

“Alaska has always been the land of opportunity for new things,” Shade says. “And this is seen as something new, something you can innovate with.”

The distilleries sell bottles in various sizes, for easy packing as souvenirs and often with labels reflecting the region where they are produced. Tasting rooms at the distilleries provide the opportunity to sample products straight out of the bottle or mixed in cocktails. (Pours are restricted by law to 1 oz., three drinks maximum.)

“Rather than just the smoky bar shots and beer culture that seemed to dominate Alaska for a long time, the distilleries are educational and have also raised the bar for how we drink here,” Shade says. In fact, Alaskan-grown ingredients are used in the distilling process, for a taste of Alaska in every sip.

“People may not know this, but we have a pretty large agricultural industry and the things that grow really well here are grains like barley and rye,” Shade explains. “We have the raw materials here. We have the clean water, we have the grains and the starch. And there’s a lot of interest in unique Alaska goods people can bring home.”

Haines’ Award-Winning Gin