Silverback Distillery

The next stop on our Pour Destination road trip in Charlottesville, VA was our first (and only) distillery stop of this particular excursion. We ran inside Silverback Distillery as fast as we could to try to escape the pouring rain, so unfortunately, we don’t have a great memory of the outside appearance. The fairly empty tasting room was quite elegant, complete with a stained glass divider separating us from the distilling room. We pulled up a stool at the bar, mentally preparing to take on straight liquor.

Virginia’s ABC laws prohibit pouring more than 3 oz. of liquor per person that is enjoying a tasting. At first, we were worried… 3 oz?! That’s nothing! This was soon followed by “there is no way I would appreciate an entire 3 oz.” It’s safe to say that we don’t have a good grasp of how much an ounce of liquor actually is. As we started worrying about how the hell we were going to keep track of the ounces, our host quickly informed us that we wouldn’t have to do any math. He kept track for us, so we got to sit back, and enjoy the booze.

Silverback gives you the luxury of making your own tasting, so you aren’t obligated to drink vodka if you had a bad experience that one time in college. However, we recommend that you at least give it a try seeing that it has gone through continuous column distillation, resulting in an enjoyable vodka that goes down smooth. Each taste ranges from $2 – $3.50 for a one ounce pour. The tasting price is reasonable, mainly because they allow you to share each tasting pour amongst your group. During our tasting, we tried the vodka, gin, bourbon, rye, sour mash, and honey whiskey. It seems that the tasting menu changes frequently, so on our next visit, there’s a chance we’ll have an entirely new experience. Also noteworthy, they use a green distilling process that uses minimal energy and reduces their dependency on fossil fuels. They’re even solar-ready, with a plan for solar panel installations soon. I’ll drink to that!

We should also mention that they have some baller looking cocktails that we, unfortunately, didn’t take advantage of. After watching them make an old-fashioned, complete with wood smoke, we were tempted to stick around to taste these intriguing mixtures, but we knew we had a long day ahead of us. The cocktail price ranged from $7.00 – $10 per drink, or $3.50 – $5 to try a mini.

So, a few of our thoughts on the pours. The gin is good for someone who is not huge a gin drinker because the juniper doesn’t slap you in the face. The honey whiskey is a nice pour for the entire party – we ended up buying a bottle. It was sweet and smooth, and even non-whiskey drinkers can enjoy it straight (or maybe on the rocks). They describe their bourbon as “a butterscotch bomb,” and we do agree. It was quite tasty, but the price was a little steep for a bottle. And the sour mash? This stuff was interesting. The unique flavor was like moonshine with a bit of funk. We enjoyed the tasting but weren’t sure what we would mix it with at home.

Of all the distilleries we’ve visited, this was one of the most intriguing. Silverback Distillery has plenty to offer as a destination, not just a stop along the road. In our short time there, we learned about the story of Silverback (the name comes from the dad – a military-type man who grayed early and subsequently was nicknamed “Silverback”). We also found out about Christine (Silverback’s wife) and their daughter’s trip to Scotland to become licensed distillers in order to perfect their spirits. While you visit, take a look at the bottles, which are a piece of art themselves and are fully in tune with the primate theme. There are so many reasons to visit Silverback, and we feel like we haven’t even named the half of them. It’s probably better that you check it out yourself next time you’re in town.