Great Jones Distilling Co. NYC: The $5 Bourbon Tour in NoHo Nobody Talks About
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Great Jones Distilling Company
I had no idea that NYC had its own distillery, and it has been hiding in Noho this whole time. At the Distillery, which is still active, not only can you learn the history, but you also get to know more about the process, equipment, and end with a tasting of their Straight Bourbon, Four Grain Bourbon, and Rye.
Honestly, as someone who is not a whiskey drinker but loves a tasting, I had so much fun. I might be a slight nerd around the production of wines, beers, and spirits, so I was so excited as we went through the “factory” and got to smell different items, and see the barrels up close.
Ending with the tasting really made everything come together for me, and I learned a lot about whiskey and bourbon during my time there and felt like I was learning some new techniques for when I become a mixologist or bartender at home.
In this post, I’m breaking down everything you need to know about Great Jones Distilling Co., from what to expect on the tour, to the tasting, tips before you go, and how to save money on your visit.
What is Great Jones Distilling Co.?
Great Jones Distilling Co is NYC’s first distillery since Prohibition, producing bourbons and ryes using 100% New York-sourced ingredients! It is located in Noho, just steps from NYU and features a restaurant, bar and working distillery.
A quick whiskey lesson before we dive in: All bourbons are whiskeys. To make a whiskey a bourbon, it must have corn, be made in america, aged in a barrel and not distilled pass 80% aclohol because it loses the flavor.
Also, you cannot had anything extra to a bourbon or it becomes a whiskey.
What to expect on the Great Jones Distilling Co tour?
The Tour and Tasting experience at Great Jones Distilling Co is about an hour if you do the regular tour. You start right outside the Tasting Room Bar and learn more about how bourbon is made.
All of the ingredients are sourced from New York, with many coming from Warwick, NY, and the Black Dirt Region.
One of the most interesting things, I learned on the tour was that they use NY tap water in the Distillery! You always hear that NYC has great water, but I never expected to find it in a whiskey.
When you walk into the production room, you can see the barrels from 2021, the first barrels produced in Manhattan since Prohibition. That moment hit differently once you understood the history behind it.
The Great Jones Distillery Co Tasting
After about 30 minutes of learning about the story, it is time for the tasting!
When you enter the room it is already set up with 3 pours, 2 bourbons and a rye. Your guide goes through the story of each one and tells you about the process of making it.
Now, here is where I struggled the most. Bourbon burns, like you can feel the heat in your chest; however, our guide did a great job of helping to relieve some of it.
Did you know that you can chew bourbon and it changes the taste? It was suppose to cut the burn but it did nothing for me really.
And, if you add water, which I tried it should cut the burn. That did not work for me either. Honestly, I am not sure anything would have worked.
These are two tricks that I learned during the tasting, made it slightly more manageable but not completely. I did not drink the entire amount of any of the pours because I just could not take the burn.
Give me tequila please!
Tips Before you Go!
- Arrive Early: This will give you time to settle in before the tour.
- Go on a weekday, midday: I went on a Tuesday and had a small group and I was able to ask questions and really connect with the guide.
- Buy a bottle at the end: They give you $10 off bottles at the end of the tour! I grabbed one of their Basquiat bottles even though I struggled, I love having a souvenir of the different NYC activities that I have done.
- Get the Bread at the Tasting Room Bar!hat bread is mouth-watering, and I randomly have dreams about it. Now their wings, if you cannot handle spicy food, I would highly recommend skipping them. There is no amount of water that will save you from that heat.
Deals and Discounts for Great Jones Distilling Co
New York Resident: make sure to book their Home Grown Tasting so that you can get this tasting for $5 instead of $35.
If you are not a New York resident but going during the summer, use the code: SUMMERFRIDAYS for 50% off on Friday for the following tours: Distilling New York Tour, Bourbon & Bites, or VIP Tour and Tasting featuring their 10 Year Bourbon
Other Experiences at Great Jones Distilling Co.
Not only can you do a tasting at Great Jones Distilling Co, but they also have an amazing bar and restaurant.
- Jazz Brunch: On Saturdays from 11:30 am – 3 pm at their restaurant. If you want to save money on this experience, check out the Pulsd app because they often have deals.
- Prohibition Hour (Happy Hour): Tuesdays-Fridays, from 3:30 – 6 pm at their Tasting Room Bar.
- Shake Up: Their cocktail making class for $100.
- Bourbon and Bites: A tasting with food for $55. (Use Code: SUMMERFRIDAYS for 50% off on Fridays during the summer)
A few of my friends have done the jazz brunch and highly recommend it, it is on my list.
Great Jones Distilling Co Review, NoHo Things to do
Great Jones Distilling Co is 100% worth adding to your things to do in NYC list because not only is it affordable, but it offers you a glimpse into spirit production in NYC and ends with a tasting of NY homegrown bourbons and ryes, that you will actually want to take home.
A tour and tasting at Great Jones Distilling Co is perfect for date nights, friend dates or even just a solo outing. Let me know if you check out this experience.
Things to do in NYC:
Broadway show tickets for Cheap
Tips for Attending a NY Yankees Game
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