Split Spirits
Split Spirits is a privately held craft distillery in Middlebury, Vermont that produces handcrafted whiskeys, gins, vodkas, and liqueurs using proprietary inverse barrel aging, and sells them through Vermont tasting rooms, e-commerce to 40 states, farmers markets, and select retail and on-premise accounts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMiddlebury, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Split Spirits does
Split Spirits is a privately held craft distillery founded by Will Drucker in 2019 in Middlebury, Vermont, operating from the legacy of Appalachian Gap Distillery (active for over 10 years). The company produces a 12-SKU portfolio spanning whiskeys (Ridgeline Vermont Whiskey, Barred Owl Bourbon, Drumlin Champlain Valley Rye, Essential Vermont Malt Whiskey), gin (Mythic Gin, Essential Vermont Hopped Gin), vodka (Fractal Vodka), agave spirit (Papilio Agave Spirit), and liqueurs (Vermont Maple Creemee, Espresso Liqueur), plus a Single Origin Split Spirits Collection aged via proprietary inverse barrel aging with regional wood splits from Vermont, New York, and Illinois.
The company differentiates through three pillars: a proprietary inverse barrel aging technology that enables flavor profiles from non-watertight wood species (sugar maple, black cherry) impossible via traditional barrel aging; America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery status (2021), supported by 100% solar electricity, renewable natural gas boilers, and a biodigester converting spent grains to clean electricity; and a co-development partnership with Switchback Brewery producing the Essential Spirits line from surplus beer stranded during COVID-19.
Split Spirits generates revenue through direct-to-consumer tasting room sales in Middlebury (by appointment) and Manchester Center (opened mid-2025 in collaboration with Local Maverick), online sales via lovescotch.com shipping to 40 states, weekly Vermont farmers markets, and wholesale distribution through the 802Spirits liquor store chain plus specialty retailers in Brooklyn/Manhattan and San Francisco. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is founder-controlled with 1-10 employees and no disclosed institutional funding.
Split Spirits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Split Spirits
- Legal name
- Split Spirits
- Website
- https://splitspirits.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Split Spirits is a privately held craft distillery in Middlebury, Vermont that produces handcrafted whiskeys, gins, vodkas, and liqueurs using proprietary inverse barrel aging, and sells them through Vermont tasting rooms, e-commerce to 40 states, farmers markets, and select retail and on-premise accounts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Split Spirits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Distilled Spirits
- NAICS
- Distilleries (312140), Distilleries (31214), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE), Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)
Keywords
Where Split Spirits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Middlebury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Split Spirits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Spirits Product Sales: Split Spirits generates revenue through direct sales of craft spirits including whiskeys, gins, agave spirits, vodkas, and liqueurs. Products are sold through company tasting rooms, online via lovescotch.com (shipping to 40 states), and through retail partners including liquor stores and bars/restaurants.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Split Spirits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Split Spirits produces and sells handcrafted craft spirits including whiskeys, gins, vodka, agave spirit, and liqueurs from its distillery in Middlebury, Vermont. Products are sold through company-owned tasting rooms, the lovescotch.com e-commerce site shipping to 40 states, Vermont retail liquor stores, and on-premise bars and restaurants. The company also operates a collaborative Manchester tasting room and Vermont marketplace with Local Maverick.
Product overview
Split Spirits is a craft spirits company operating America's first Climate Neutral Certified distillery in Middlebury, Vermont. The portfolio consists of two main collections: the Core Spirits Collection featuring traditionally barrel-aged whiskeys, gins, vodka, and liqueurs (Ridgeline Vermont Whiskey, Barred Owl Bourbon, Drumlin Champlain Valley Rye, Essential Vermont Malt Whiskey, Essential Vermont Hopped Gin, Mythic Gin, Papilio Agave Spirit, Fractal Vodka, Vermont Maple Creemee Liqueur, and Espresso Liqueur), and the Split Spirits Collection using proprietary inverse barrel aging with regional wood splits (Split Spirits Vermont with sugar maple, Split Spirits New York with black cherry, and Split Spirits Illinois with white oak). Specialty products include spirits made in collaboration with Switchback Brewery. Products are available at their distillery and tasting rooms in Vermont, through online retail (lovescotch.com ships to 40 states), and at select retailers across Vermont, New York, and California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Appalachian Gap Collection: Core spirits collection continuing the legacy of Appalachian Gap Distillery, including traditional barrel-aged whiskeys.
- Split Spirits Collection
- Core Spirits Collection
- Essential Spirits
Products and services
- Ridgeline Vermont Whiskey A high-rye bourbon blended with an Irish-style single malt and finished in port wine casks, offering crisp autumn fruit, dried fruit, vanilla, leather, and tobacco notes for craft spirits enthusiasts.
- Barred Owl Bourbon Vermont's first Bottled-in-Bond bourbon made from corn, barley, and wheat, aged at least four years in #4 char oak barrels with honey, caramel, vanilla, and oak-forward finish.
- Drumlin Champlain Valley Rye Whiskey 100% rye whiskey using rye grown within 25 miles of the distillery, with toffee, dark fruit, pepper, rye bread, spices, cinnamon, and a clean earthy finish.
- Papilio Agave Spirit A Vermont take on tequila distilled from organic blue agave nectar and local maple syrup, delivering clean and pure flavor with smoky sweet maple notes.
- Mythic Gin Botanical gin expressing Vermont's botanicals with evergreen juniper and balsam base, Szechuan peppercorn, roschips, and lighter floral notes for craft gin enthusiasts.
- Essential Vermont Malt Whiskey Single malt whiskey distilled from surplus Switchback Ale, aged over four years in white oak barrels, with floral, citrusy hops aroma, butterscotch, caramel, and toasted marshmallow notes; won a Gold Medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
- Fractal Vodka Grain-to-glass vodka refined from whiskey distillation tails in a dedicated vodka still with charcoal filtration, using local organic or regeneratively farmed grains for subtle unique character per batch.
- Vermont Maple Creemee Liqueur Cream-based liqueur blending real cream with Ridgeline Vermont Whiskey and vodka from local organic grains, sweetened with Bristol, Vermont maple syrup, inspired by Vermont's creemee ice cream.
- Espresso Liqueur Cold-brewed espresso liqueur made with Vermont Coffee Company espresso beans and Belgian candi sugar, slightly sweet and full-bodied with strong espresso character.
- Essential Vermont Hopped Gin Unique gin distilled from surplus Switchback Ale, with notes of fresh flowers, herbs, citrus, evergreen, and hop character from Saaz, Cascade, and Mandarina hops.
- Split Spirits Vermont Sugar maple Single Origin Spirit aged using inverse barrel aging with Vermont-grown grains and sugar maple wood splits in every bottle, bottled at 44% ABV with caramelized maple, toasted oak, vanilla, and earthy spice notes.
- Split Spirits New York Black cherry Single Origin Spirit made with organic grains from Western New York farmer Thor Oeschner and inverse barrel aged with black cherry wood splits, bottled at 44% ABV with vanilla, ripe black cherry, toasted grain, and oak notes.
- Split Spirits Illinois White oak Single Origin Spirit from locally grown corn, rye, and barley, inverse barrel aged with white oak staves, bottled at 44% ABV with warm vanilla, toasted oak, caramel, nutmeg, and baked grain flavors.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% renewable electricity through solar array
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Split Spirits
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Split Spirits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Split Spirits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Local MaverickcoreSplit Spirits opened a collaborative retail space with Local Maverick in Manchester, VT at 96 Depot Street. This shared marketplace showcases products from multiple Vermont businesses including JK Adams, Brio Coffee, Watson Wheeler Cider, and Nu Chocolate. The tasting room serves as both a retail location and marketing platform for Vermont-made products. Grand Opening was June 21, 2025.
- The Change Climate ProjectcoreNonprofit organization that helped Split Spirits assess climate impact and achieve Climate Neutral Certified status. Partnership involved rigorous assessment of emissions from farm fields to shop shelves, development of action plans to reduce emissions, and verification process for annual carbon credit investments.
- Switchback BrewerycoreCollaboration to create Essential Vermont Malt Whiskey and Essential Vermont Hopped Gin from surplus Switchback Ale that was stranded in kegs at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. The beer was distilled into approximately 30-35% ABV, then redistilled to 80% ABV. Whiskey aged 3.5+ years in white oak barrels; tails were redistilled into hopped gin. This unique partnership exemplifies Vermont's collaborative craft food and beverage industry.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Split Spirits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery: Louisville-based craft distillery focused on American brandy and bourbon with emphasis on barrel experimentation and American craft identity. Comparable to Split Spirits as a similarly-sized craft distiller pursuing premium positioning through innovative aging and finishing techniques.
- Smooth Ambler Contradiction: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and gin with small-batch craft positioning. Comparable as a similarly-sized craft distiller with awards recognition and distribution ambition across the craft spirits category.
- St. George Spirits: California craft distillery renowned for experimentation with botanicals, unusual wood aging, and unique flavor profiles. Comparable to Split Spirits on the innovation dimension, particularly the use of unconventional woods and aging techniques to differentiate.
Direct peers
- Corsair Distillery: Small-batch craft distillery known for experimental aging techniques and innovative product development including unique wood finishes. Comparable to Split Spirits as a similarly-sized craft innovator pushing boundaries in aging and flavor profile development.
- WhistlePig: Vermont-based craft rye whiskey producer with a strong farm-to-bottle narrative and premium positioning. Directly comparable as a craft spirits maker rooted in Vermont terroir that has scaled into national distribution, though with significantly more capital and scale.
- Caledonia Spirits (Barr Hill): Vermont craft distillery producing gin, vodka, and bourbon from local honey and grains with a strong sustainability and Vermont provenance story. Directly comparable as a small Vermont craft distillery with sustainability-driven positioning and national distribution ambitions.
- Mad River Distillers: Vermont craft distillery producing rye, bourbon, and vodka with a similar farm-to-bottle Vermont provenance story. Directly comparable as a small Vermont craft distiller operating in the same state with overlapping product categories.
- Catoctin Creek Distillery: Virginia-based craft distillery producing rye whiskey and gin with farm-to-bottle sourcing and sustainability emphasis. Directly comparable in size and philosophy: small craft distiller with local grain sourcing and a clear sense-of-place brand story.
- New Holland Brewing / New Holland Spirits: Michigan craft brewery and distillery producing whiskeys, gins, and liqueurs with similar multi-channel distribution and taproom/tasting room strategy. Comparable as a craft beer-spirits crossover operation in a similar size tier to Split Spirits.
- Tuthilltown Spirits (Hudson Whiskey): New York State craft distillery pioneering farm-distilled whiskey with state-specific sourcing similar to Split Spirits' Single Origin concept. Directly comparable in size, craft innovation focus, and state-themed product narrative; now owned by larger spirits group.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Split Spirits social profiles
Digital presenceSplit Spirits compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Split Spirits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Split Spirits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Split Spirits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Split Spirits M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Split Spirits
What does Split Spirits do?
Split Spirits produces and sells handcrafted craft spirits including whiskeys, gins, vodka, agave spirit, and liqueurs from its distillery in Middlebury, Vermont. Products are sold through company-owned tasting rooms, the lovescotch.com e-commerce site shipping to 40 states, Vermont retail liquor stores, and on-premise bars and restaurants. The company also operates a collaborative Manchester tasting room and Vermont marketplace with Local Maverick.
Is Split Spirits a public or private company?
Split Spirits is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Split Spirits founded?
Split Spirits was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Split Spirits based?
Split Spirits is headquartered in Middlebury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Split Spirits make money?
One revenue line is on record: spirits Product Sales.
Who are Split Spirits's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery, Smooth Ambler Contradiction and St. George Spirits. Direct peers are Corsair Distillery, WhistlePig, Caledonia Spirits (Barr Hill), Mad River Distillers, Catoctin Creek Distillery, New Holland Brewing / New Holland Spirits and Tuthilltown Spirits (Hudson Whiskey).
Does Split Spirits have an API?
No public API is recorded for Split Spirits.
What industry is Split Spirits in?
Split Spirits's product category is Craft Distilled Spirits. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFAAAC, Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling, with a secondary code of THAFALAG, Distilleries (Tasting Rooms). Its NAICS code is 312140 and its SIC code is 5180.