Mark’s Score 9.1
Part of the purpose of this blog is promote local retailers. But I don’t shop locally as an ideology. Local retailers need to work for my custom by offering something superior and unique. If I can buy it on the web for less, I will. Local businesses, shouldn’t compete on price, they cannot win. Instead, they must compete on product, service, and presentation. Windon Distilling hits all the right buttons.
Windon is owned by Jaime Windon. She opened her distilling operation in St Michaels in 2013. Like me, Jaime is an experienced world traveler, and like me, her travels taught her to appreciate the unique and the rare. The appreciation for these qualities has created a memorable shopping experience at her tasting room, located in an old mill off Talbot Street. Not only will you find quality product, you are likely to learn something, and have a good time doing it.
All of their rums are made from 100% Louisiana cane sugar and molasses, and are distilled using hand-crafted (mashed, fermented, and double-distilled) methods in small-pot stills. Jaime and her team like to experiment with innovative infusions and finishes. For example, their Sailor’s Reserve Rum is finished in American Oak barrels for twelve months. The Rock & Rum is blended with orange caramel, cherries, and bitter spices. Not sure you would like the flavor? Not to worry, they have a tasting room where you can taste their rums before purchasing.
I last stopped at Windon just after Christmas. I had a party to attend so I thought I would buy the rum sample pack. I was there on New Year’s Eve so I bought a small bottle of their Blackberry Rum Liqueur, which I combined with Prosecco that night to create my version of a Kir Royale to toast in the new year. Sadly, I did not make it to midnight, but it was midnight somewhere when we drank those Kir Royales at 9:00 pm. I think my recipe of Blackberry Rum and Prosecco is better than the traditional recipe.
At the moment, they only do tastings, they do not sell cocktails, which is a shame because Jamie claims to make a flawless Rum Old Fashioned. However, I was told that they are working on getting a bar license. So maybe some time in 2025, you will be able to sit down and have a drink at the bar. They also do not do tours, which is also a shame, I would love to see their process for making rum. I have always had an appreciation for skilled artisans and a distilling tour would be a welcome addition of things to do in St Michaels.
When I think about what small businesses need to do to compete in the age of the global internet, Windon Distilling would be at the top of my list of a company doing a job well-done. If they add both a bar and tours, even better.
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