Maryland’s First Craft Distillery Opens on the Eastern Shore--Lyon Distilling

After successfully navigating small town zoning, lengthy permit processes, and a government shutdown, the Lyon Distilling Company of St. Michaels, MD is proud to be Maryland’s only full production distillery to open in nearly half a century.

Ben Lyon and Jaime Windon, both spirits enthusiasts and young entrepreneurs, wanted to revive Maryland’s illustrious distilling history with handcrafted spirits. “Many distillers bat around the terms ‘craft’, ‘local’, and ‘handmade’ without any actual meaning. For a small distillery, it’s all about quality and integrity, so everything in the bottle we make here, starting with the raw ingredients. To be the only distillery in the state producing spirits in this way is exciting, especially for people who have never seen the process,” said Ben Lyon, co-founder and distiller at Lyon Distilling Company.

THE BOOZE
Lyon Distilling Company launched with three varieties of rum: white, seasonal, and barrel aged. “Made with a combination of cane sugar and molasses, and distilled with traditional style pot stills, the base spirit has a complexity and body which simply don’t exist in commercially available products,” said co-founder Jaime Windon. “Our rum has already opened eyes about what small batch distilling is all about – from the first sip, there is simply no comparison to what most of our visitors are used to.” In addition to making Maryland’s only known rum, the distillery will also be releasing a series of whiskies and liqueurs in the coming months.

TOURS AND BOTTLE SALES AT THE DISTILLERY
Lyon Distilling Company is open from 12-6 every day for tours, tastings and sales.

ABOUT THE COMPANY
The founders of Lyon Distilling Company, Ben Lyon, 31, and Jaime Windon, 33, are both lifelong food and drink enthusiasts, and share a passion for creating sustainable local economic impact. Lyon gained experience as a home brewer and working at a small brewery and distillery after college, while Windon, a professional photographer, also has extensive experience in the bar and restaurant business. For more information, please visit http://www.facebook.com/lyondistilling, or contact the distillery through liquor(at)lyondistilling(dot)com or (443) 333-9181. For a short behind-the-scenes look at the distillery click here.
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