History

Manifest Distilling was founded in Jacksonville, Florida, and opened in September 2016. Four founders—David Cohen, Scott Kennelly, Trey Mills, and Tom Johnson—formed Manifest and have since expanded the team. A shared principle of unity and collaboration underpins the company and their approach to craftsmanship and learning. Over the years they have worked with American craftsmanship, equipment produced in the USA, and grain produced by a network of co-ops in North America. The accompanying education and experience come from the Siebel Institute and outreach work with master distillers in Kentucky and elsewhere, with a consistent desire to learn and grow.

Production

Ecology and Facility

Manifest maintains a certified organic facility to support sustainable farming. Not all products are certified organic, but the facility is. A chain of custody must be maintained for each raw material, and no toxic sanitation or pest control is used, as well as isolation of products that are not organic. Potato Vodka and Florida Citrus Vodka are not organic in the current product line; potatoes are non-GMO and citrus is grown organically, although not necessarily certified.

Sourcing and neutrals

Transparency is important to Manifest. Products such as gin, vodka, and citrus vodka begin as neutral spirits sourced from trusted partners. These bases are produced from grains that yield spirits at over 190 proof, which removes character from the base. The bases are then distilled in their copper pot-column still and infused with the characteristics they love in gin and citrus vodka. Manifest's rye whiskey as well as experimental whiskies, malt-distilled whiskey and liqueurs begin in their own facility as grain and fruit, which are fermented and distilled.

Whiskies and Other Products

The core product line includes Non-GMO Potato Vodka and Florida Citrus Vodka, organic gin, barreled gin, organic rye whiskey, and 100% rye whiskey. All distillation equipment is American-made, and the grain comes from a cooperative network of farmers in North America. They appear later in flavor and further development in their own spaces through their whiskey project and other experiments.

Tasting and Notes

100% Rye whiskey offers bold pepper notes and dark fruits such as black cherries. Florida Botanical Gin highlights botanical notes from Florida, including citrus, flowers, and a balanced dry finish. Florida Citrus Vodka gets its flavor from citrus oils in the fruit and a clean, pure spirit derived from a controlled base.

Ports and Projects

Manifest Whiskey Project MWPs are annual releases that blend and allow older products to age. MWP #1 from 2016 included a bourbon, where twelve barrels were evaluated and five were selected for single-barrel and seven were blended into a small batch. MWP #2 in 2019 used Underdark stout from Intuition Ale Works and was distilled in a copper-hybrid pot still and aged in 53-gallon barrels for about two years. MWP #3 in 2021 was a blended-age process and used a foeder in Tennessee along with a blend of 10-year and 3-year straight bourbon. Their single-barrel program and stave tests are part of their ongoing whiskey development.

Other Products

Potato Vodka is distilled in collaboration with an Idaho-based distillery and bottled at 40% ABV. Florida Citrus Vodka is produced by pressing and maceration and then redistilled in a pot still to yield a pure citrus aroma. Gin is distilled in several batches, with more than 25 botanicals tested and then blended to achieve the final profile. Barreled Gin blends different batches of gin and is aged in new and previously used barrels. Fernet Manifesto is an herb liqueur with 21 botanicals and a light filtration to preserve mouthfeel. Honey Rye Whiskey is a collaboration with Bee Friends Farm and is aged in a combination of rye and honey, imparting sweetness and spice. Single Origin Coffee Liqueur is produced in collaboration with Bold Bean Coffee Roasters and Buffa Bittering Company and uses coffee from Bold Bean and local ingredients to give character to the liqueur.

Visits and Experiences

Manifest Distilling is located in downtown Jacksonville and markets itself as the city's only fully operating organic distillery. With an open distillery and a clear spirit for American craftsmanship, they emphasize patience and engagement in the process, where they sample from the heart of each distillation to ensure purity and quality. Their tasting room and shop allow customers to purchase products directly, and there is a history of limited batches where some products were sold exclusively through the tasting room.

Philosophy

Manifest is driven by an ethos of unity and collaboration, believing that the sum of individual talents creates something greater than the parts. They emphasize American craftsmanship, the use of American equipment, and grain from North American co-ops. The organization highlights that they always seek to learn and improve, and that the goal is to show a sense of place through their products and terroir. Their approach to organic production focuses on maintaining an organic facility and tracking all raw materials, while emphasizing transparency around sourcing and base spirits.