GRATON DISTILLING COMPANY ,
describe Benham’s gin as “cocktail perfect”
because it’s easy to enjoy neat and shines in
cocktails.
established in 2015, is located in the tiny,
west Sonoma County town of Graton,
California. Independently owned by Derek
Behnam, our stand-alone distillery is
dedicated to producing carefully crafted
spirits that reflect the artistry, flavors
and vibe of our west county home.
Our Distiller, Jeff Duckhorn, is locally
known as a number cruncher gone rogue.
He’s always loved making and creating,
especially bread and beer. Jeff ’s drive to
Our second spirit, D. George Benham’s
Vodka Vodka, was released in July 2016.
Designed to highlight crisp, clean and
rich flavors, we individually distill grapes,
organic white wheat, rye and red cracked
wheat then blend into a harmonious,
balanced spirit. After distillation, Vodka
Vodka is proofed down with well water and
then gently filtered through neutral charcoal
to amplify the smooth texture prior to
bottling.
GRATON DISTILLING CO.
create new flavors is a passion he brings to
the distillery every day.
The centerpiece of our distillery is an
innovative, continuous micro-column still
custom built by Headframe Stills of Butte,
Montana. Extremely versatile, our still
allows for a wide range of spirits. “It’s
definitely a unique piece of equipment,”
says Distiller Jeff. “It’s like a finicky diva
that needs tons of attention and TLC.
But it’s worth it, our still is incredibly
flexible and when treated right, we can
make everything we want to from whiskey,
bourbon and brandy to gin and vodka.”
When crafting gin, special botanical
baskets allow Distiller Jeff to gently coax
aromas and flavors from each botanical
through vapor distillation. Jeff is able to
raise and lower temperatures by tenths of
a degree to control the heat and length
of vapor extractions, teasing out each
botanical’s flavor essence.
The distillery’s first spirit, D. George
Benham’s Sonoma Dry gin, was released
in February 2016. “Sonoma Dry” is a
distinctive new style of gin that combines
the classic juniper character of London
Dry with the bright, citrus notes of New
Western style, blending the best of both
worlds: intense, rich juniper artfully
balanced with fresh citrus and other
botanicals. The taste is big and bold yet
well-balanced, touching every part of the
palate. Local Sonoma County mixologists
DISTILLERY
OVERVIEW
Future plans for the distillery include an
American Blended Whiskey and 10 Year
Bourbon to be released in early 2017.
Currently, the distillery is not open to the
public and we’re hoping that will change in
the near future. Members of the trade are
welcome to visit the distillery, please contact
Dave Bridgman, Sales Manager – California,
at [email protected]
for more information.