The Mainland Distilleries Proudly Making Puerto Rico’s Beloved, Illicit Moonshine
By Samuel Lin-Sommer, Atlas Obscura
If you visit a home in Puerto Rico, says Angel Rivera, “the woman will offer you coffee, and the man will offer you a drink. More often than not, they will offer you pitorro.” Rivera would know, considering that he’s the co-founder of Puerto Rico Distillery in Frederick, Maryland, where making pitorro, a high-proof rum distilled from sugarcane and infused with fruits and herbs, is a family business.

The drink is a core part of Puerto Rican celebrations, despite the fact that only a handful of commercial distilleries make it. On the island, legal pitorro is weaker, and usually sold to tourists. Traditional pitorro is proudly illegal, produced in illicit stills, and distributed by word-of-mouth. But the same qualities that make the liquor so beloved also make it difficult to procure for the four million Puerto Ricans living in the mainland United States.

Puerto Rico Distillery and Port Morris Distillery in the Bronx are changing that. Their versions of pitorro may have tax identification numbers, but they still carry on the drink’s legacy of cultural resistance. Read more on Atlas Obscura.
Thank You Title Sponsors
Announcements
The makers of Green Hat Gin in Washington, D.C. will shutter their Ivy City distillery and gin garden, but production will continue in Kansas. Learn more.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer passed House Bill 4842, which cuts costs for small Michigan distilleries and supports Michigan grain farmers. Learn more.
Graton, CA-based Redwood Empire Whiskey's “Buy a Bottle, We’ll Plant a Tree” commitment has resulted in 500,000 new trees planted since 2019. Learn more.
New Products
‘Shmallow Bourbon
Veteran-owned Hotel Tango Distillery in Indianapolis has released a toasted marshmallow-flavored bourbon. Learn more.
Upstate Vodka
Charlotteville, NY-based Sauvage Distillery has launched Upstate Vodka, a new label made from 100% New York State apples. Learn more.
Two New Copperworks Releases
For the first time, Seattle's Copperworks Distilling released two core whiskeys on the same day: Copperworks American Single Malt Whiskey Release 044 and Release 045. Learn more.
ADI 2022 Craft Spirits Conference & Vendor Expo
Celebrate with us September 14-16, 2022 as we bring our distilling community to St. Louis, the “Gateway to the West"! ADI 2022 will be packed with educational sessions, workshops, distillery tours, and our largest-yet exhibition floor. Learn more and register here.
The Gin Summit
Join us after the ADI Conference on Saturday, September 17 at the Marriott Grand St. Louis for the Gin Summit, in association with The Gin Guild and Gin World St Louis. The one-day conference will showcase a range of expert speakers covering a broad range of topics and tastings perfect for distillers, bartenders, journalists, industry professionals, and gin superfans. Learn more.
Master Taster Leaves Bourbon ‘Dream Job’ To Start New Brand
Former Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan leaves what Wall Street Journal called a “whiskey lover’s dream job” for a shot at a whiskey brand called “Hidden Barn,” her partnership with two 5280 Whiskey Society founders and Royce Neeley of Neeley Family Distillery. For Brown-Forman, Old Forester’s parent company, Zykan’s departure comes just weeks after former Old Forester brand manager Jim Lake took a position at Bardstown Bourbon Company, which had recently been acquired by Pritzker Private Capital. And it’s the second time in less than two years, Brown-Forman (2021 net sales: $3.5 billion) has lost key whiskey talent to entrepreneurial leaps. Read more on Forbes.
The Four Maine Craft Vodkas Your Cocktail Cabinet Needs
Since well before Russian-liquor boycotts made the headlines, Maine’s craft distillers have been turning out top-shelf vodkas — some of them classic, others fairly inventive. Raise a shot and say budmo (that’s “cheers” in Ukrainian) with these four favorites. Read more on Down East.
Looking for a job?
We're transitioning from our previous job board to using our forums for job posts. Please post positions here!
  • Lead Distiller at Wheat State in Kansas. More.
  • Distiller at Taconic in Hudson Valley, NY. More.
  • Lead Distiller at Talking Cedar in Washington. More.
  • Head Distiller at Black Frost in Minnesota. More.
  • Asst Distiller at One Eight in Washington, D.C. More.

Looking for work? Post and share your story here!
Looking to Buy a Distillery?
Qualified buyers, email us to connect with the sellers.
  • Artisan distillery/micro brewery/brewpub in SE Indiana
  • Turnkey Distillery in Denver Highlands
  • Craft distillery in Missouri
  • Organic distillery in Sonoma
  • Turnkey Distillery on Florida Coast
  • Texas Hill Country Craft Distillery
  • Popular distillery in Northern AZ
  • Craft distillery in Upstate NY
  • Brand new Illinois distillery
Bill's Corner
Miscellany from ADI President Emeritus/Founder Bill Owens
The hydrangeas are in bloom at Castle & Key in Frankfort, Kentucky! The distillery is hosting a garden party on Sunday, July 24th—along with lauded landscape designer Jon Carloftis—to celebrate their newest distillery-only experimental barrel-finished gin, The Woolgatherer.
Quick Links
ADI World Headquarters
(510) 364-4245
PO Box 577, Hayward, CA 94543
Press Releases: eriko@distilling.com
eNewsletter Editor: digitaleditor@distilling.com