The best North Bay spirits for the holidays

In a region known for its world-class wines, exceptional spirits abound from nearly every corner of Sonoma County. If you’re looking to spice things up this holiday season — after the dinner feast, around the fireplace or under wrapping paper and bow — look no further than our guide to the best Sonoma County spirits for the holidays, along with a few recipes for inspiration.

Fir Top Gin from Elk Fence Distillery, Santa Rosa: Elk Fence Distillery opened their doors only months ago, yet their Fir Top Gin already has won a Gold Medal at the American Distilling Institute’s 2022 International Spirits Competition. Located in an industrial building off Santa Rosa Avenue, the small-batch distillery produces American single malt whiskey, botanical gin and a barley-based vodka.

Fir Top ($50) is a botanical gin made of juniper, coriander, tangerine and grapefruit from San Francisco Herb Co. It’s fresh, citrusy and destined for a gin and tonic with Fever-Tree tonic. If you have time, check out their cozy tasting room, where every object has a story to tell, from the old-growth redwood bar dating to the 1800s to the upright antique Steinway piano rescued from a basement to the dark and dreamy wall art. You can buy their Fir Top gin at the tasting room and Bottle Barn in Santa Rosa and Wilibee’s in Santa Rosa and Petaluma. Elk Fence Distillery: 464 Kenwood Court, Suite E, Santa Rosa; 415-497-4338, elkfencedistillery.com

Cardamom Clove Syrup + Smoked Salt and Pepper Bitters from FloraLuna Apothecary, Petaluma: In addition to launching Sonoma County’s first alcohol-free cocktail lounge in Petaluma this fall — The Apothecary by FloraLuna — botanicals maven Phaedra Achor produces a popular line of cocktail bitters, syrups and mixers, which can be seen on cocktail menus across the Bay Area. For this holiday guide, we’re highlighting two of our favorite products. The Cardamom Clove Syrup (16 ounces, $19.99) has bright green notes of cardamom intertwined with moody clove, making it ideal for an old fashioned or to add spice to apple cider. The Smoked Salt and Pepper Bitters (2 ounces, $18.99) has a pungent trifecta of savory, smokey and spicy notes destined for the best bloody Mary ever. To purchase, visit floralunaapothecary.com or The Apothecary by FloraLuna at 122 Kentucky St., Petaluma; 707-387-6766.

Spirit of Bourbon (nonalcoholic) from Free Spirits Co., Marin County: While Free Spirits Co. isn’t technically in Sonoma County, we couldn’t resist including its stellar nonalcoholic spirits produced a few miles down the road in Marin County. Free Spirits founder Milan Martin launched the brand to give drinkers a delicious, complex alternative to traditional spirits, without the alcohol. Rather than shunning alcohol completely, Martin supports a balanced lifestyle and has her eyes set on a younger generation who wants to do the same.

Using a process called distillate reconstruction, Free Spirits extracts flavors and essential oils from natural ingredients such as American white oak, juniper and Mexican blue agave. The company produces nonalcoholic versions of tequila, gin, amaro and bourbon (each $37). The bourbon has rich notes of oak and toffee with a smooth finish of toasted almond and brown sugar. To purchase, visit their website at drinkfreespirits.com.

Sugar Plum + Winter’s Remedy Cocktail Kits from Griffo Distillery, Petaluma: Husband-and-wife team Mike and Jenny Griffo make holiday cocktails easy with cocktail kits from Griffo Distillery. The couple have produced small-batch craft whiskey, gin and vodka since 2013. There are 10 holiday kits to choose from, and each includes enough ingredients for 12 cocktails. (All you need to supply are the fresh juices and garnishes.)

The Holidays Cocktail Kit ($84.55) includes Griffo Barrel-Aged Gin, FloraLuna Cardamom Clove Syrup, FloraLuna orange bitters and Fever Tree soda, which can be combined with cranberry juice and lime for a spiced herbal and slightly tart treat. The Sugar Plum Cocktail Kit ($62.10) includes Griffo Vodka, Little Apple Treats Plum + Vanilla Shrub, FloraLuna Wildflower Syrup, Chai’Walla Bitters and Fever Tree Club Soda, for a layered floral mixer. For something to truly warm you, check out the Winter’s Remedy Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit ($99.75) with Griffo Stony Point Whiskey, Bittermilk Barrel-aged Old Fashioned Syrup, Chai’Walla Bitters and Eggbert’s Premium Cocktail Cherries. Griffo Distillery is located at 1320 Scott St., Suite A, Petaluma; 707-879-8755; griffodistillery.com.

Organic Espresso Vodka, from Hanson Distillery, Sonoma: Family-owned and operated in Sonoma, Hanson Distillery is known for producing whiskey and organic small-batch vodka infused with organic fruits, vegetables and spices, with no added sugars or artificial ingredients. This holiday season they are releasing their limited-edition Organic Espresso Vodka ($40) infused with organic coffee beans from Hawaii. Robust and rich, with notes of chocolate, dark berry and coffee, it’s a fantastic addition to hot chocolate, a white Russian or an espresso martini. To purchase the vodka, which will be released in December, visit hansonofsonoma.com.

“Pipe Dream” Bourbon Whiskey, from Redwood Empire Whiskey, Sonoma County: Named after the 14th tallest tree on Earth, Redwood Empire’s “Pipe Dream” Bourbon Whiskey ($39.99) is a blend of whiskies aged four to 14 years. The mash is heavy on corn, then rye, resulting in notes of maple and vanilla, followed by a tinge of roasted pecans, honey and a long finish. Partnering with Trees for the Future, a nonprofit that has planted more than 100 million trees around the world, Redwood Empire Whiskey plants a tree for every bottle sold— a total of 689,118 trees (and counting) since its launch in 2015. Note: It’s on sale at Oliver’s Market for $29.99, through December.

Barrel Reserve Sloe Gin, Spirit Works Distillery, Sebastopol: A recent Gold Medal and Best in Class winner at the 2022 American Distilling International Spirits Competition, the Barrel Reserve Sloe Gin ($75) from Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol is sure to be a hit at any festive celebration. Produced by husband-and-wife team Timo and Ashby Marshall, the gin is distilled with American red wheat, then followed by the addition of whole organic sloe berries from Europe. After resting in new charred American white oak barrels for several months, the resulting liqueur is rich and luxurious with notes of dark cherry, clove, cardamom and orange peel. Enjoy it neat, add a splash to bubbles or add to cocktails.

The Barrel Reserve Sloe Gin (and their other spirits) can be purchased online at spiritworksdistillery.com or at the tasting room. Spirit Works Distillery is located at The Barlow, 6790 McKinley St., No. 100, Sebastopol; 707-634-4793.

California Amaro, from Young & Yonder, Healdsburg: Young & Yonder is a small craft distillery led by husband and wife Joshua and Sarah Opatz, whose chic tasting space in downtown Healdsburg offers samples of their award-winning spirits and a selection of craft cocktails. In addition to vodka, gin, bourbon and absinthe, Young & Yonder produces a citrusy California Amaro ($40) based on the classic Italian digestif, with 16 botanicals and grapefruit, orange and lemon peel for a balanced, bittersweet finish. It pairs well with a splash of club soda or in array of cocktails, although it’s traditionally served neat or on the rocks after a meal. To buy, visit youngandyonder.com or stop by the tasting room. Young & Yonder is located at 449 Allan Court, Healdsburg; 707-473-8077.

Recipes for holiday drinks

Now for the fun part, making the drinks. The following recipes, including some for nonalcoholic drinks, come from these local distillers. All recipes are for one serving.

Jolly Holiday (nonalcoholic)

2 ounces gin or 1½ ounces Free Spirits brand alcohol-free gin

¼ ounce pomegranate juice

½ ounce lime juice

¾ ounce FloraLuna Cardamom Clove Syrup

4 drops FloraLuna Smoked Salt & Pepper Bitters

Rosemary sprig and raspberries, for garnish

Add ice and all ingredients, except garnish, to a shaker tin and shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a coup glass. Garnish with rosemary sprig and raspberries.

Bourbon Corduroy (nonalcoholic)

2½ ounces Free Spirits Spirit of Bourbon

¾ ounces warm spice syrup (see Note)

1 ounce pink grapefruit juice

½ ounce lime juice

Add all ingredients to an iced cocktail shaker. Shake hard and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Note: To make warm spice syrup, mix 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice mix in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using.

Autumn Orchard

2 ounces Griffo Stout Barrel Whiskey

¾ ounce FloraLuna Cardamom Clove Syrup

¾ ounce lemon juice

½ ounce apple cider

1 teaspoon apple butter

Sparkling apple cider

Fresh thyme sprig, for garnish

Add ice and all ingredients, except sparkling apple cider and garnish, to a shaker and shake for 10 seconds. Double strain over a large ice cube into a rocks glass. Top with a splash of apple cider and garnish with a fresh thyme sprig.

Hanson Espresso Hot Chocolate

1 ounce Hanson Organic Espresso Vodka

5 ounces hot cocoa

¾ ounce heavy cream or milk

Combine all ingredients and serve warm in a mug. Garnish with marshmallows or your favorite holiday treats.

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com.