Appalachian Gap Distillery

What Appalachian Gap Distillery does

Appalachian Gap Distillery, operating under the brand Split Spirits, is a privately held craft distillery headquartered in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 2011 by Lars Hubbard, the company produces a small portfolio of spirits organized into three collections — All Spirits, Split Spirits Collection, and Core Spirits Collection — with signature SKUs including Mythic Gin, Papilio Agave Spirit, VT Maple Creemee Liquor, and Maple Bourbon. Its production technology is conventional craft distilling, with the notable differentiator that the company is America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery, a designation requiring ongoing carbon footprint measurement and offsets.

The business serves two primary customer segments: individual consumers purchasing craft spirits for home consumption, gifting, and home cocktail preparation, and hospitality buyers (bars, restaurants, inns) sourcing locally-produced spirits for cocktail programs. Revenue is generated through three streams: direct spirit sales via an e-commerce storefront shipping to 40 states and on-site tasting room sales in Manchester, Vermont; wholesale to local Vermont liquor retailers including Manchester Discount Beverage, Stowe Liquor Store, Vergennes Wine & Beverage, and Mehurons; and on-premise sales through partner establishments such as Waybury Inn, Stone Corral Brewery, and Regional Character.

The company operates with 1-10 employees across a manufacturing facility in Middlebury and a retail tasting room in Manchester. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and event-driven, relying on Instagram, cocktail-recipe content, and recurring tasting events at partner retailers and pop-up venues rather than paid acquisition. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is independently owned with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or M&A activity, and currently has no app, public API, or disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Appalachian Gap Distillery

Legal name

Appalachian Gap Distillery

Website

https://appalachiangap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Appalachian Gap Distillery (d/b/a Split Spirits) is a small Vermont craft distillery producing gin, agave spirit, and maple liqueurs, and is America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery. It sells DTC online in 40 states, through a Manchester tasting room, Vermont retailers, and select on-premise partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (31214), Distilleries (312140), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ), Mixed Alcohol Specialty Retail (Beer/Wine/Spirits Combined) (CRANABAH)

Keywords

• Craft distillery
• Distilled spirits
• Maple liqueur
• Craft gin
• Artisan bourbon

Headquarters

HQ city

Middlebury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Spirit Sales: Sale of craft spirits through e-commerce platform shipping to 40 states and on-site at the tasting room in Manchester, Vermont.
2. Wholesale to Retailers: Distribution of spirits through local retail liquor stores throughout Vermont.
3. On-Premise Sales: Sales through bars and restaurants featuring spirits cocktails, including partner establishments like Waybury Inn and Stone Corral Brewery.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Appalachian Gap Distillery (doing business as Split Spirits) is a craft distillery based in Middlebury, Vermont that handcrafts small-batch spirits including Mythic Gin, Papilio Agave Spirit, VT Maple Creemee Liquor, and Maple Bourbon. The company operates America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery, sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce shipping to 40 states, runs a tasting room in Manchester, Vermont, and distributes through Vermont retail liquor stores and on-premise bars and restaurants.

Product overview

Appalachian Gap Distillery operates as Split Spirits, America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery based in Middlebury, Vermont. The company produces craft spirits organized into three main collections: the All Spirits Collection (complete portfolio), the Split Spirits Collection (premium small-batch offerings), and the Core Spirits Collection (foundational spirits). Key products include Mythic Gin, Papilio Agave Spirit, VT Maple Creemee Liquor, and Maple Bourbon. Products are available for online purchase across 40 states and at the Manchester tasting room, with retail distribution through local liquor stores throughout Vermont.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mythic Gin A signature gin handcrafted at the distillery, described as an adventurous spirit with a Vermont sense of place. Featured in cocktails (e.g., Ophelia's Song) at partner establishments such as Stone Corral Brewery. Sold to individual consumers and on-premise accounts.
• Papilio Agave Spirit A premium agave-based spirit produced at the Middlebury distillery, featured in cocktails such as Smoke & Flame at Stone Corral Brewery. Sold to individual consumers and on-premise accounts.
• VT Maple Creemee Liquor A Vermont maple cream liqueur combining maple bourbon with maple cream liqueur for a Vermont-inspired cocktail experience. Featured in cocktails such as the Sun & Sap at Waybury Inn. Sold to individual consumers and on-premise accounts.
• Maple Bourbon A bourbon infused with Vermont maple character, handcrafted at the Middlebury distillery. Featured in specialty cocktails such as the Sun & Sap at Waybury Inn. Sold to individual consumers and on-premise accounts.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Manchester Discount BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManchester Discount Beverage hosts regular free spirits tasting events for Split Spirits products, serving as a key retail partner in Manchester, Vermont.
• Stowe Liquor StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStowe Liquor Store hosts free spirits tasting events, distributing Split Spirits products to customers in the Stowe area.
• Vergennes Wine & BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVergennes Wine & Beverage serves as a retail partner hosting free spirits tastings for Split Spirits products in Vergennes, Vermont.
• MehuronscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMehurons in Waitsfield hosts regular free spirits tasting events for Split Spirits, serving the Mad River Valley area.
• Waybury InnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaybury Inn features Split Spirits VT Maple Creemee Liquor in their Sun & Sap cocktail at their inn in Vermont.
• Stone Corral BreweryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStone Corral Brewery features Split Spirits Mythic Gin and Papilio Agave Spirit in their cocktail menu (Ophelia's Song and Smoke & Flame cocktails).
• Regional CharacterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Character in Manchester hosted an Apres Ski Pop Up event featuring Split Spirits tastings, cocktails, and partner beverages from Watson Wheeler Cider.
• Watson Wheeler CiderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWatson Wheeler Cider partnered with Split Spirits for co-branded events and pop-ups, providing cider pairings at events like the Regional Character Apres Ski Pop Up.
• Boyden Valley WineryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoyden Valley Winery VT Ice Maple was featured alongside Split Spirits VT Maple Creemee Liquor in cocktails at Waybury Inn.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WhistlePig: Vermont-based craft rye whiskey distillery founded in 2007. Comparable craft spirits producer with Vermont provenance, multi-channel distribution, and on-premise cocktail presence, though at significantly larger scale.
• FEW Spirits: Illinois-based craft distillery producing gin, whiskey, and bourbon. Comparable craft spirits producer with tasting room, DTC, and multi-channel distribution strategy.
• Smugglers' Notch Distillery: Vermont craft distillery producing vodka, gin, whiskey, and liqueurs. Comparable small-scale Vermont distiller with tasting room operations and regional wholesale distribution.
• Caledonia Spirits (Barr Hill): Vermont-based craft distillery producing Barr Hill Gin and other spirits from Hardwick, VT. Directly comparable as a Northeastern craft gin/spirits producer with similar DTC, wholesale, and tasting room distribution model.
• Corsair Distillery: Tennessee craft distillery producing gin, whiskey, and experimental spirits. Comparable small-batch craft distiller with innovative product development and direct-to-consumer sales.
• Mad River Distillers: Vermont craft distillery producing rum, whiskey, and maple-based spirits. Directly comparable as a small Vermont producer with maple-based product offerings and DTC/regional wholesale channels.
• St. George Spirits: California craft distillery producing gin, absinthe, and agave spirits including unique terroir-driven expressions. Comparable craft producer of distinctive spirits with on-premise cocktail focus.
• Tamworth Distilling: New Hampshire craft distillery producing gin, whiskey, and experimental spirits. Comparable craft distilling model with regional tasting room and DTC focus on distinctive small-batch products.

Broad incumbents

• Tito's Handmade Vodka: Texas-based craft vodka brand that scaled to become the top-selling craft spirit in the US. Comparable craft spirits business model, but at vastly larger scale and broader distribution.

Regional players

• Stone Corral Brewery: Vermont brewery and on-premise partner featuring Split Spirits products (Mythic Gin, Papilio Agave Spirit) in signature cocktails. Adjacent regional beverage producer representing the on-premise channel and Vermont craft beverage ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/split_spirits
• Xx.com/appgapdistill

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Appalachian Gap Distillery