Valentine Distilling Co Invests $1 Million In Expansion

Valentine Distilling Co announced its expansion Tuesday. The Ferndale spirit maker founded by Rifino Valentine in 2008 will begin its expansion with the launch of Sherbert, a new whiskey named for the company’s mascot dog and made using a 1500-gallon still imported from Italy. According to Valentine, the still will allow the company to make 1000 barrels of whiskey a year.

“We wanted to build the best still to maintain the quality of our products. Frilli has been building distillation equipment since 1912 and has a phenomenal track record and experience in triple pot distillation, and that’s just what we need to keep up with the demand of Valentine spirits,” company founder Rifino Valentine said.

The still, the first Italian company Frilli ever shipped to America, is also among the largest stills to service an American micro-distillery.

“We are honored to build this still for Valentine. We are excited to ship to the U.S. for the first time. The creation of this still will allow Valentine to continue to produce even more of their exceptional products,” said Frilli representative Simone Martini.

Valentine Distilling Co. moved production facilities in 2016, moving operations to a 15,000-square foot warehouse across from the company’s original digs in the Cocktail Lounge. The new warehouse boasts state-of-the-art copper stills and whiskey barrels that line the space from the from floor to the ceiling. As part of the custom still deal with Frilli, Valentine moved to expand, adding 5,000 square feet to the existing warhorse to make space to store aging barrels for the whiskey once it leaves the new still.

If you’re hoping for a pour of Sherbert, you’ll be waiting a while. The whiskey won’t be ready to bottle til 2023. While the whiskey may take awhile - a wait the company swears is well worth it - Valentine Distilling will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house to reveal Sherbert and show off the production facility’s brand-new expansion March 22. The shindig runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the distillery’s Ferndale location, 965 Wanda Street. Tickets are free, but registration is required via Eventbrite.

Photo Via Valentine Distilling Co.