Chemist Spirits
Overview of the Distillery
Chemist Spirits is a family-founded distillery in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, that has evolved from a single gin to a broad range of American gins, vodkas, and single malt whiskies. The distillery uses local Appalachian botanicals, vapor infusion in copper pot stills, and collaborates with local partners such as Riverbend Malt House and Biltmore to create both cocktails and sip-worthy spirits.
History
The history behind Chemist Spirits begins in a family practice where Debbie Word, together with her daughter Danielle, combined homebrewing experience with chemical knowledge to create a signature gin. This family-rooted start has evolved into a small destination in the South Slope area of Asheville, with a tasting room, a mercantile shop, and Antidote Cocktail Lounge as the tasting showcase. Antidote opened as a three-story, apothecary-inspired cocktail bar and became a central element of the company’s presence in 2018. In the wake of area flooding, Antidote engaged with the community by offering free water and coffee; this effort led to an expanded cafe menu, mocktails, and plans for an additional location in Biltmore Village. Alongside this, Chemist has established collaborations with local players and with Biltmore Estate for special releases, expanding their range from gin to also include several single malt releases.
Raw Materials and Production
Chemist works with a neutral wheat-spirit as the base for gin and vodka and with 100% malted barley for their single malts. Gin is flavored via vapor infusion in botanical baskets in copper pot stills, a method the company highlights to extract aromatic oils without pulling bitter tannins. For whiskey, Chemist uses various malt types and collaborates with local millers such as Riverbend Malt House; a range of single malts is produced and finished in oak barrels. The water source is described as Appalachian mountain spring water, used both for dilution and in production. The company also mentions barrel-resting of gin and aging at cask strength as part of their experiments, as well as a willingness to combine classical techniques with a more scientific approach in setting up recipes and distillation choices.
Aging and Barrel Types
Chemist uses several types of barrel finishes: a concrete example is finishing in Biltmore Sangiovese barrels for a Biltmore release, and collaborative releases such as Green Man are aged in charred American white oak barrels for about 1 year and 8 months. Additionally, gin is barrel-rested in oak to give drinkable, oaky characteristics. Barrel choices include both new oak and wine barrels, and the company states that they work with different char levels and finish experiments to affect depth and texture without changing their underlying distillation methods.
Whiskies
The range includes Chemist American Gin (a 'New Western' style with vapor infusion), Barrel Rested Gin (a sipping gin aged in oak), Navy Strength Gin, Chocolate Orange Gin Liqueur, and a growing series of single malts: American Single Malt, Burial American Single Malt, Biltmore Single Malt, and Green Man Single Malt. The products range from cocktail-friendly gins to barrel-aged and collaborative single malts, and the house markets both core offerings and limited releases and collaborations.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Barrel and Finish | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Single Malt Whiskey | American Single Malt | The house's American single malt, highlighted as an award-winning release and the basis for several cocktails and servings. Distillate uses different malt types and collaborates with local malt producers.; Nose: Malty character with notes of dark fruit and chocolate in applications and recipes; Taste: Malty, spicy finish noted in cocktail use | Current; Core range | |
| Biltmore Single Malt Whiskey | American Single Malt | New oak barrels and finished in Biltmore Sangiovese barrels | A collaborative release handmade with Biltmore Estate: starting from Chemist's single malt and finished in red-wine Sangiovese barrels with hand-picked rose petals for the rose-gin project mentioned in the same family of collaborations. | Current |
| Burial American Single Malt | American Single Malt | One of Chemist's single malt releases, also used in bar cocktail recipes for depth and complexity.; Taste: Used in cocktails to add depth; noted with chocolate and coffee notes in cocktail context | Current | |
| Green Man Single Malt | American Single Malt | Freshly charred American white oak barrels (finish aging 1 year and 8 months) | A limited collaborative single malt brewed with Golden Promise malt and finished in charred American white oak barrels for about 1 year and 8 months.; Nose: Toasted biscuit and shredded coconut noted in product description; Taste: Rich in malt, followed by vanilla and caramel on the palate (product text) | Limited; Limited |
| Antidote Single Malt Whiskey | American Single Malt | Named single malt associated with Antidote Cocktail Lounge's offerings and cocktails; mentioned in blog content as part of the range. | Current |
Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profiles
Overall, the profiles move in three clear directions: citrus and floral notes (lemon verbena, rose, citrus in American Gin), malt-forward sweetness (toasted malt, vanilla and caramel from barrel contact in single malts), and dark, confectionery depth (dark fruit, chocolate, and coffee-like notes as noted in certain single malt releases). These directions recur across the range and explain why the lineup works both in classic cocktails and as sip-able expressions.
Visit the Distillery
You can visit Chemist Spirits in their South Slope tasting room in downtown Asheville. The tasting room and mercantile have set hours seven days a week, and the Chemist Distillers Tour is offered mostly on weekends (preferred reservation). The tour costs $25 and includes a tour of production, a tasting of signature spirits, and an immediate discount in the shop (discount cannot be applied to spirit purchases due to local regulations). The tour is for persons 21+ only; the tasting room and distillery are ADA-accessible, and visitors are advised to book in advance.
The stated hours are Tasting Room & Mercantile: Monday–Saturday 09:00–21:00, Sunday 12:00–21:00. Antidote Cocktail Lounge: varying longer hours (see website).
Philosophy and Craft
Chemist positions itself as a family- and women-led distillery that combines traditional distillation with a modern, precise approach. The company highlights the use of local Appalachian botanicals, collaboration with regional suppliers, and experimentation with barrel finishes as central elements of their work. The goal is to create both cocktail-friendly and sip-able spirits without compromising the craftsman’s core principles.
Awards and Recognitions
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Double Gold Medal (Double Gold)
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Gold Medal (Gold)
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Silver Medal (2020, Silver, Barrel Rested Gin)
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Best In Class (Best In Class, Navy Strength Gin)
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Double Gold Medal (Double Gold, Navy Strength Gin)
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Silver Medal (Silver, Navy Strength Gin)
Latest News
Discover How Chemist Spirits Turned Adversity Into Community Connection – 2025-07-01
After floods, Antidote Cocktail Lounge helped the community with free water and coffee. This effort led Antidote to further develop a cafe menu with coffee, tea, pastries, and alcohol-free mocktails, as well as plans for expansion to another location in Biltmore Village.