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For Cool Kids: Alley 6 Craft Distillery, Healdsburg: Viognier grapes are the base for this Healdsburg distillery’s Harvest Gin, making it a wildly aromatic sipper that has a true taste of the Alexander Valley. Their rye whiskey is gaining serious traction on the awards circuit, made with malted barley from Germany. 1401 Grove St., Unit D., Healdsburg, 707-484-3593, alley6.com
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For Going Sloe: SpiritWorks, Sebastopol: True to quirky Sebastopol, this distillery has its own way of doing things, producing everything from vodka and whiskey to its signature sloe gin — made with owner Timo Ashby’s family recipe. What’s sloe gin? With a stunning ruby color, it’s a liqueur infused with a relative of the plum (sloe berries) that adds just a hint of sweetness. SpiritWorks barrel-aged sloe gin gets a rest in white oak barrels, adding depth and layers to the liqueur, which is available in limited quantities. Tours include plenty of licks from Ashby’s Boston terrier, Bandit. 6790 McKinley St., No. 100, Sebastopol, 707-634-4793, spiritworksdistillery.com
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For Old School: HelloCello/Prohibition Spirits, Sonoma: As part of the first of a wave of bonded distilleries in Sonoma County, Prohibition Spirits’ Fred and Amy Groth paved the way with the most unlikely of spirits: HelloCello Limoncello di Sonoma. Their sunny citrus liqueur is made with thousands of lemons at community “peeling parties” each year, an ode to the summery Italian spirit. They’ve expanded their repertoire to include Hooker’s House whiskey, Sugar Daddy Rum, Jack’s Gin, Chauvet Brandy, and a handful of specialty bottles including Nocino Black Walnut Liqueur and Grappa. 23570 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-933-7507, prohibition-spirits.com
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For the Purist: Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, Sonoma: Organic vodka made from grapes? The Hanson family works with nearby Ceja Vineyards to make wine that then goes into the still to make non-GMO, gluten-free vodka that’s all about a sense of place. Like many local distilleries, all of Hanson’s flavored vodkas — from cucumber to seasonal boysenberry and habanero — use ingredients chopped, peeled, and macerated by hand with no added sugars or artificial flavors. This tasting room is the newest to open in the region, offering craft cocktail samples as well as distillery tours at the former Carneros Brewery near the town of Sonoma. 22985 Burndale Road, Sonoma, 707-343-1805 hansonofsonoma.com
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For Serious Sippers: Sonoma Brothers, Windsor: Though it almost sounds too far-fetched to be true, twin brothers Christopher (a firefighter and paramedic) and Brandon Matthies (a police officer) have created some of the county’s best-loved small-batch bourbon as a side hustle. You’ll see their distinctive bottles of gin, vodka, rye whiskey, and apple brandy — all made at their small Windsor distillery — at better bars. While visiting the tasting room in the aptly named Artisan Alley, you can do double or triple duty by visiting several breweries and cideries nearby. 7759 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-888-2120, sonomabrothersdistilling.com
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For Up Yonder: Young & Yonder Spirits, Healdsburg: One of the sleekest tasting rooms, Young & Yonder recently moved their operations to Healdsburg, offering an alternative to the wine-tasting rooms around the square. Run by Josh and Sarah Opatz, their H.O.B.S Gin is a seriously hot commodity at local craft cocktail spots, made with Russian River water and a number of local botanicals. Fans of foraging, they’ve also released Fellows & Foragers Absinthe, made with classic herbs like anise and wormwood along with ginger and tarragon. You can also taste their small-batch Stave Robber Bourbon, aged in oak for less than a year, and Persian lime vodka. 449 Allan Court, Healdsburg, 707-483-8077, youngandyonder.com
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For Precise Process: Griffo Distillery, Petaluma: Master Distiller (and physics Ph.D.) Michael Griffo doesn’t leave anything to chance when he crafts his small-batch vodka and gins. According to Griffo, he uses “formal analysis and fabrication of innovative still-controls” for his distilling process, which means this ain’t moonshine he’s producing, but rather balanced gins and whiskeys. Michael and wife Jenny run the Petaluma distillery with “Betty,” their 250-gallon copper pot still. 1320 Scott St., Suite A, Petaluma, 707-879-8755, griffodistillery.com.
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For the Mixologist: Sonoma Coast Spirits, Petaluma: Based in Petaluma, husband-and-wife team Jill and Doug Olsen re-create family recipes for tasty infused vodkas — including a citrus basil and jalapeño lime version that Oprah Winfrey put on her “Favorite Things” list in the July 2018 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. Other flavors include sweet ginger and espresso, along with ready-to-drink craft cocktails and Zinfandel grappa from Howell Mountain. The Lemon Drop Martini is a local favorite. 1333 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite F, Petaluma, 707-331-0718, sonomacoastspirits.com