Valentine Distilling Co.

Brief overview of the distillery

Valentine Distilling Co. is a craft distillery in Ferndale, Michigan, founded in 2007. The distillery is known for its award-winning products — Valentine Vodka, Liberator Gin, and Mayor Pingree whiskey — and combines small-batch, copper-pot distillation with a clear focus on sustainability and recycling in production.

History

Rifino Valentine founded Valentine Distilling in 2007 as one of the early American craft distilleries. Since its inception the company has grown from a cocktail lounge with production to a larger storage and production facility in Ferndale. In 2016 and 2017, Valentine Vodka received international recognition at the World Drinks Awards, and the Mayor Pingree series has subsequently earned high scores and medals, including a 93-point score in Whisky Advocate. In the late 2010s, the distillery invested in a specially built Frilli triple-pot still to increase whiskey capacity, and simultaneously launched an ambitious 10-year sustainability plan with goals for large-scale water savings and circular use of spent grain.

Raw materials and production

Valentine operates as an all-grain, small-batch distillery and uses a proprietary three-grain blend (corn, wheat, and barley) for vodka, as well as grain blends for bourbon. The vodka is distilled in copper stills, and whiskey distillation takes place, among other things, on a specially imported Frilli triple-pot still, which meets the need for higher volume without compromising the character of the pot still. The production is based on 'old-world' techniques where taste and aroma are used to determine the cuts rather than full automation. Waste from the grain is returned to local farmers as animal feed, and much of the distillery's water comes from the area around the Great Lakes.

Aging and cask types

Mayor Pingree whiskeys are stored in traditional whiskey casks in a rick house for aging; the series is noted as having been aged at least five years in the core range. Special batch releases document the exact cask composition, e.g., 'Bosco' which at release consisted of 52% six-year-old and 48% five-year-old barrels. There is also experimentation with aging outside the whiskey category: Liberator Old Tom Gin has for example undergone two years of barrel aging.

The whiskies

Whiskies' style covers three clear family structures: Mayor Pingree whiskies (several label series and limited batch releases), Valentine Vodka (multigrain, copper-pot distilled) and Liberator Gin (including an Old Tom edition). Mayor Pingree is presented both as fixed releases and alphabetically named batch series with distinct characteristics per batch. The company highlights non-chill filtration for its whiskey releases and no additives across the portfolio.

The whiskies' style and flavor profile

Flavor profiles range from the grain sweetness and corn notes in the bourbons to spicy, warm elements like cinnamon and pepper, to herb- and citrus-forward notes in the gin products. From whiskey reviews and product descriptions, you can find fruity, bakery-like aromas (apple turnovers, blueberry references), pronounced grain-sweetness (sweet corn, malt) and spices (cinnamon, cardamom, pepper). These directions recur across the Mayor Pingree series, the vodka, and the Liberator gins.

Visit the distillery

Valentine operates Belle’s Lounge in Ferndale as the distillery's tasting room, and the lounge's hours are posted daily. The production facility on Wanda Street offers tours and tastings by appointment; tours must be booked via the contact channels. For questions and bookings, telephone and email are provided, and the distillery also mentions the possibility of private events and weddings in their facilities.

The listed hours are Belle's Lounge: Mon–Thu 16:00–23:00; Fri 16:00–01:00; Sat 13:00–01:00; Sun 12:00–20:00.
See times and book a visit.

Philosophy and craft

Valentine is committed to craftsmanship with no shortcuts: no additives in the products, use of traditional distillation techniques, and a focus on American manufacturing craftsmanship. At the same time, the company has a pronounced green profile with investments in water and energy efficiency, recapture equipment, and recycling of production residual materials.

Sustainability

10-Year Climate Sustainability Initiative with planned investment of approximately $500,000.
Projected water savings of 4.75 million gallons over 10 years.
Newly acquired equipment to recapture 95–98% of water lost during distillation.
Reuse of spent grain from grain waste in farming (farm to bottle to farm).

Awards and recognitions

• World's Best Vodka (2016, World's Best Vodka (Overall), Valentine Vodka)

• World's Best Vodka, Varietal (2017, World's Best Varietal, Valentine Vodka)

• 93 Points — Whisky Advocate (2019, 2nd Best Whiskey in the World (Summer 2019 Buyer’s Guide), Mayor Pingree Black Label)

• Double Gold (Double Gold—Whiskeys and other listed spirits)

Latest News

Mayor Pingree Red Label Bourbon Whiskey Batch Series Bosco Receives 91 Points from Whisky Advocate – 2024-02-29

A new batch 'Bosco' from the Mayor Pingree Red Label Batch Series received 91 points from Whisky Advocate. The series was released in late summer 2023 with a barrel composition consisting of 52% six-year-old and 48% five-year-old barrels; the review highlights aromas such as apple turnovers, pecan pie, and sweet corn, as well as spicy and sweet palate notes.

Valentine Commits $500,000 for 10-Year Climate Sustainability Initiative – 2019-04-15

Valentine announced a 10-year sustainability plan with goals to recycle water, implement energy-efficient solutions, and reuse spent sugars and grain. The initiative includes equipment to reclaim 95–98% of water losses during distillation and an estimated total water-savings target.