The best distillers of vodka, gin and rye. A St. Blaise vodka soda on a warm Tahoe spring day hits the spot.
Frosan B.
Our group had a reservation for my friend's bachelor party. My friend who organized the whiskey tasting paid and confirmed the appointment with them. The day of, they simply never showed up. Can you imagine showing up, pumped about your friend's bachelor party, and then the shitty feeling that follows because this place was too unprofessional to get their s*** together? My friend contacted the manager Davorion, who at first was accommodating and offered us a free tasting to make up for their mistake. Told us they had us down for Saturday, not Friday. Then suddenly he got back to her a few days later, said that she had never paid and there was no confirmation. Funny, then why did they have us down for Saturday if they had no confirmation. My friend sent him a screenshot of THEIR confirmation email for the Friday appointment, so he went back to saying he'd give us a free tasting. Well, it's been weeks now and he won't respond to our emails to set up the appointment. Lousy customer service, they don't deserve anyone's business.
Tammy P.
I love trying Distillery's as they are creating great new spirits. Per the website for Old World Spirits you had to make a reservation and pay $16 a per person for a tour and tasting. We arrived a little early for our "tour". There was a large group of people there for a tasting so we were told to join the current group. There was no tour, just a tasting. John (I believe that was his name) was a bit overwhelmed with the large group of people. He was there by himself. He was great with our group and answered our questions about the different spirits we tried. The gin was decent (I enjoy Bourbon/Whiskey more but enjoyed trying the absinthe. The tasting area is pretty small so can't hold too many people all at once. Met some nice people while tasting. Not sure about paying $16 to taste since there was no tour but John did a great job with dealing with our group and another large group that was coming in after us.
Tim Lennon
Great customer service and a excellent product. I really enjoyed the experience seeing how each product was distilled; from the blends that go into the mash all the way through the distillery process.
Nicole A.
I visited the distillery in a rainy Friday and had a "private" tasting with a friend. Lots of love are put In the making of these spirits and the Rusty Blade gin tastes like nothing I've had before. Great for sipping or in a cocktail.
EvieI saacson
Had some really good drinks and the food was tasty. The down side is walking up to the bar to order. But luckily it's small and intimate. The lighting is dark and romantic for a Saturday night date.
Mark Williams
Little slow, but tasty spirits.
Jasmine Hellings
Smoothest vodka I ever tasted, plus great gin, whiskey and absinthe. John was a fantastic guide!
Kevin Heiken
Awesome booze, awesome vibe, and awesome guide to tour you through the booze and vibe. 10/10
Bob F.
I like gin, and generally have a gin and tonic on occasion. But the Rusty Blade gin is a nice sipping gin with some wonderful flavors from the cask it was stored in (yes, this is an unusual process). And their absinthe rocks too. They have tastings on Fridays that you can go to if you schedule this in advance. It is a very cozy distillery (but what else would you expect in BELMONT). And if you taste a little too much there is a nice/casual mexican restaurant across the street--before you hop in your car. How convenient. And by the way, making a reservation before you come is a very good idea, particularly if you are going out of your way to get here.
We didn't get to try this place even though we got there at the last Friday of the month of June right after it was scheduled to be opened according to the website. When we arrived at the place a little after 5:30pm , the place was closed. We called the place three times to talk to someone but no one picked up. We also checked the website before heading there to verify the days and times that they are open, and I even put it on my calendar weeks before so we wouldn't forget. It was a bummer because we planned our whole day around this. We hope they would be more forthcoming of when they will be closed. Was really excited to check them out.
Ethan Stock
Old World Spirits' Rusty Blade gin is the finest cocktail beverage I have ever tasted. It's kind of like gin crossed with whiskey and sunshine. Amazing!
Roman J.
Old World Spirits is a gem of a find. I read previous yelp reviews and decided to try it out on my own. I walked to what looked like Willy Wonka's factory. As you walk in there is a beautiful copper still staring right at you. This place is by no means "industrial". I spend about an hour tasting their products. I guess Croatians really know how to produce good stuff. Davorin Kuchan is the Master Distiller and has a beautiful array of products including Blade Gin, Rusty Blade Gin which is the first barrel aged gin produced in United States, Goldrun 100% Rye Whiskey, Kuchan Nocino and two styles of absinthe called La Sorciere Verte and Bleue. The staff is well versed and knowledgeable and not to mention quite the handsome group. This place is great for a date or out with your friends. I recommend calling and making a reservations. You can find Blade Gin, Rusty Blade Gin and Goldrun 100% Rye Whiskey and La Sorciere Absinthe at BevMo. I stopped by my local BevMo the next day and picked up the whole line. I can happily say that my back bar at home is now complete. Oh by the way, they are opened every Friday from 5:30-8pm.
Ryan L.
You've probably seen Blade Gin or Rusty Blade Gin around the Bay. These two gins (and more) are produced by Old World Spirits which operates out of a garage in an industrial park in Belmont. Don't judge just because it's an industrial park, this place is a tight, efficient operation and makes great use of it's space. It's got a huge copper still that makes everything from gin to rye whiskey to brandies to absinthe. On Friday nights you can get a tour and tasting for $15. Because of California law, spirits cannot be sold at the distillery, except wine/grape based brandies. The Blade gin is a citrusy gin with a lot of complexity but not much strong juniper flavor that turns most people off. The Rusty Blade is the same Blade gin that is aged in barrels which brings out more cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. It's very much a winter spirit in my opinion. The pear eau de vie brandy really packs a punch with a lot of great pear flavor and though I'm not really a fan of eau de vies this one is a great one. Also, make sure you try the walnut liqueur, based on a Croatian family recipe, for something different. Finally, yes, absinthe, real absinthe, is now legal in the US and you can taste La Sorcière here. It's a great traditional absinthe with a lot of anise flavor. The distiller who gave us the tour and the tasting was really nice and knowledgable. It was a great experience and I encourage everyone to visit once.
Lou K.
Just made my second trip here and this place is awesome. I walked in about 7 pm on a Friday nite and was the only one in the place except for the distiller Todd who was just finishing up a batch of gin. Although within 10 minutes the place was packed. Funny thing was no one knew anyone else but in 10 minutes time we were all chatting like old friends. Some how this place just makes you meet and greet everyone around you. The explanations of the process were spot on, not only for the still but also for the spirits. Tasted 7 different spirits plus the little "cocktail" at the end. $15 bucks for a flight and I have to say the pours are more than generous. The decor leaves a little to be desired but hey you are in a warehouse what do you expect? Very limited seating so plan on doing a lean against the bar or just standing. Will be coming back again and I want to try one of the "last" Friday of the month nites when I hear the crowds are a bit bigger. Also I was glad I decided to come on Friday nite, as I was considering going Saturday afternoon instead as I was on the e-mail list and received a e-mail saying they were now open every Friday as well as Saturday. I came to find out that the Saturdays have been discontinued, so I would have missed out.
The best distillers of vodka, gin and rye. A St. Blaise vodka soda on a warm Tahoe spring day hits the spot.
Our group had a reservation for my friend's bachelor party. My friend who organized the whiskey tasting paid and confirmed the appointment with them. The day of, they simply never showed up. Can you imagine showing up, pumped about your friend's bachelor party, and then the shitty feeling that follows because this place was too unprofessional to get their s*** together? My friend contacted the manager Davorion, who at first was accommodating and offered us a free tasting to make up for their mistake. Told us they had us down for Saturday, not Friday. Then suddenly he got back to her a few days later, said that she had never paid and there was no confirmation. Funny, then why did they have us down for Saturday if they had no confirmation. My friend sent him a screenshot of THEIR confirmation email for the Friday appointment, so he went back to saying he'd give us a free tasting. Well, it's been weeks now and he won't respond to our emails to set up the appointment. Lousy customer service, they don't deserve anyone's business.
I love trying Distillery's as they are creating great new spirits. Per the website for Old World Spirits you had to make a reservation and pay $16 a per person for a tour and tasting. We arrived a little early for our "tour". There was a large group of people there for a tasting so we were told to join the current group. There was no tour, just a tasting. John (I believe that was his name) was a bit overwhelmed with the large group of people. He was there by himself. He was great with our group and answered our questions about the different spirits we tried. The gin was decent (I enjoy Bourbon/Whiskey more but enjoyed trying the absinthe. The tasting area is pretty small so can't hold too many people all at once. Met some nice people while tasting. Not sure about paying $16 to taste since there was no tour but John did a great job with dealing with our group and another large group that was coming in after us.
Great customer service and a excellent product. I really enjoyed the experience seeing how each product was distilled; from the blends that go into the mash all the way through the distillery process.
I visited the distillery in a rainy Friday and had a "private" tasting with a friend. Lots of love are put In the making of these spirits and the Rusty Blade gin tastes like nothing I've had before. Great for sipping or in a cocktail.
Had some really good drinks and the food was tasty. The down side is walking up to the bar to order. But luckily it's small and intimate. The lighting is dark and romantic for a Saturday night date.
Little slow, but tasty spirits.
Smoothest vodka I ever tasted, plus great gin, whiskey and absinthe. John was a fantastic guide!
Awesome booze, awesome vibe, and awesome guide to tour you through the booze and vibe. 10/10
I like gin, and generally have a gin and tonic on occasion. But the Rusty Blade gin is a nice sipping gin with some wonderful flavors from the cask it was stored in (yes, this is an unusual process). And their absinthe rocks too. They have tastings on Fridays that you can go to if you schedule this in advance. It is a very cozy distillery (but what else would you expect in BELMONT). And if you taste a little too much there is a nice/casual mexican restaurant across the street--before you hop in your car. How convenient. And by the way, making a reservation before you come is a very good idea, particularly if you are going out of your way to get here.
Restaurantji Recommends
We didn't get to try this place even though we got there at the last Friday of the month of June right after it was scheduled to be opened according to the website. When we arrived at the place a little after 5:30pm , the place was closed. We called the place three times to talk to someone but no one picked up. We also checked the website before heading there to verify the days and times that they are open, and I even put it on my calendar weeks before so we wouldn't forget. It was a bummer because we planned our whole day around this. We hope they would be more forthcoming of when they will be closed. Was really excited to check them out.
Old World Spirits' Rusty Blade gin is the finest cocktail beverage I have ever tasted. It's kind of like gin crossed with whiskey and sunshine. Amazing!
Old World Spirits is a gem of a find. I read previous yelp reviews and decided to try it out on my own. I walked to what looked like Willy Wonka's factory. As you walk in there is a beautiful copper still staring right at you. This place is by no means "industrial". I spend about an hour tasting their products. I guess Croatians really know how to produce good stuff. Davorin Kuchan is the Master Distiller and has a beautiful array of products including Blade Gin, Rusty Blade Gin which is the first barrel aged gin produced in United States, Goldrun 100% Rye Whiskey, Kuchan Nocino and two styles of absinthe called La Sorciere Verte and Bleue. The staff is well versed and knowledgeable and not to mention quite the handsome group. This place is great for a date or out with your friends. I recommend calling and making a reservations. You can find Blade Gin, Rusty Blade Gin and Goldrun 100% Rye Whiskey and La Sorciere Absinthe at BevMo. I stopped by my local BevMo the next day and picked up the whole line. I can happily say that my back bar at home is now complete. Oh by the way, they are opened every Friday from 5:30-8pm.
You've probably seen Blade Gin or Rusty Blade Gin around the Bay. These two gins (and more) are produced by Old World Spirits which operates out of a garage in an industrial park in Belmont. Don't judge just because it's an industrial park, this place is a tight, efficient operation and makes great use of it's space. It's got a huge copper still that makes everything from gin to rye whiskey to brandies to absinthe. On Friday nights you can get a tour and tasting for $15. Because of California law, spirits cannot be sold at the distillery, except wine/grape based brandies. The Blade gin is a citrusy gin with a lot of complexity but not much strong juniper flavor that turns most people off. The Rusty Blade is the same Blade gin that is aged in barrels which brings out more cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. It's very much a winter spirit in my opinion. The pear eau de vie brandy really packs a punch with a lot of great pear flavor and though I'm not really a fan of eau de vies this one is a great one. Also, make sure you try the walnut liqueur, based on a Croatian family recipe, for something different. Finally, yes, absinthe, real absinthe, is now legal in the US and you can taste La Sorcière here. It's a great traditional absinthe with a lot of anise flavor. The distiller who gave us the tour and the tasting was really nice and knowledgable. It was a great experience and I encourage everyone to visit once.
Just made my second trip here and this place is awesome. I walked in about 7 pm on a Friday nite and was the only one in the place except for the distiller Todd who was just finishing up a batch of gin. Although within 10 minutes the place was packed. Funny thing was no one knew anyone else but in 10 minutes time we were all chatting like old friends. Some how this place just makes you meet and greet everyone around you. The explanations of the process were spot on, not only for the still but also for the spirits. Tasted 7 different spirits plus the little "cocktail" at the end. $15 bucks for a flight and I have to say the pours are more than generous. The decor leaves a little to be desired but hey you are in a warehouse what do you expect? Very limited seating so plan on doing a lean against the bar or just standing. Will be coming back again and I want to try one of the "last" Friday of the month nites when I hear the crowds are a bit bigger. Also I was glad I decided to come on Friday nite, as I was considering going Saturday afternoon instead as I was on the e-mail list and received a e-mail saying they were now open every Friday as well as Saturday. I came to find out that the Saturdays have been discontinued, so I would have missed out.