A Love Letter to Vitae Spirits

Dear Vitae Spirits,

I’m a fan of a nice cocktail. And I’m a fan of a craft brewery, especially the ones with a taproom. But, prior to my visit to your charming establishment on a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, a craft distillery that served the public was a nearly foreign concept to me.

One of my favourite aspects to travelling is getting to taste all the local flavours — including, of course, local beverages. As my awesome group of travel companions and I traipsed around town in the hot sun, we looked forward to finding Vitae Spirits, which was tucked into an otherwise unassuming neighbourhood.

I generally associate spirits (even the really classic ones) with getting a little fancy. Usually, they’re something I enjoy with friends on special occasions or night’s on the town. I think: cocktail lounge. So, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the vibe of Vitae Spirits was totally chill. The other group enjoying their beverages during our visit were playing a boardgame (and I feel that really tells you all you need to know).

While your bartender-mixologist (?) walked us through the small but fun menu for sampling, I took in the simple, modern cool aesthetic of the space. Having the distillery equipment, with all its gears and gadgets felt kind of steampunk, in the most fun way.

I’ve been a gin and tonic girl for a long time now (extra limes, or a gimlet if the mood dictates) so I was delighted to taste your modern flavours, as well as the Paw Paw Liqueur, which was a total first! I had only ever read about paw paw until then.