Dark Island Spirits — Attraction in Town of Alexandria

As I continue exploring craft distilleries, I’m realizing more and more that you can find whiskey, bourbon, single malt, vodka, and gin that rival, if not surpass the quality of many expensive, mass-produced brands. What a lot of people don’t realize is that some of those big names they’re drinking aren’t made the way they think. In fact, many use mass-produced distillate to save money and crank out volume. Don’t take my word for it, do a little research, and you’ll see what I mean.

That brings me to my most recent experience at Dark Island Distillery in Alexandria Bay, NY, located where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario in the heart of the 1,000 Islands.

Dark Island is doing something truly innovative: their spirits are Musically Matured in Oak Barrels. Sounds a bit gimmicky at first, right? I thought so too, until I learned more about the science and history behind it. It’s actually a brilliant method, and from what I gathered, they’re the only distillery around doing it this way.

Instead of the typical aging process where a barrel just sits in one spot, their musical maturation method actively moves the distillate, similar to how whiskey used to mature as it traveled across the ocean or the American frontier in the 1700s and 1800s. The movement pushes the spirit deeper into the oak, accelerating and evening out the aging process.

Here’s the twist: the music isn’t played outside the barrel, it’s actually played inside. This internal vibration draws flavor and sugars from the wood in a completely unique way. And they tailor the music to each type of spirit. How cool is that?

I had the honor of sitting down with one of the owners and distillers, Mike Young. We tasted around ten different spirits, and the conversation went deep. We discussed yeast strains, fermentation techniques, distillation cuts, maturation processes, and the nuanced variables that affect each spirit. We even got into the history of whiskey and bourbon. Mike had an answer for every question, which is rare. It was clear: Mike has a deep passion for the craft and takes pride in every bottle.

And the spirits? Every single one I tried was exceptional. Not a single weak link in the lineup. Honestly, I’ve tasted bourbons and scotches that cost three times as much and don’t come close to what they’re doing here.

I’ll be breaking down each of the spirits I tried in future posts on my instagram account @biscottiducati when I have time to sit and retry all the spirits taking notes. This place is...

My husband and I recieved excellent service from Will and Mike. Will was very informative about the products they made and sold at Dark Island Spirits. We tried the slushies. They were amazing. So many flavor combinations also alot of options of liquor to add to them. After you choose your slushy flavor you go to the counter and they will help you pick a liquor that would go best with it. Shots are also an option and are reasonably priced. The Spirits tasting was a great deal. The tasting helped me choose a bottle I wanted to purchase. Dark Island Spirits is a BYOF (bring your own food) establishment. You can sit on the deck eat your food and enjoy your drinks. The service was amazing. A family run business and they were so nice. I will definitely be coming back and recommending Dark Island Spirits to everyone. Such great products and prices. Thanks guys for making our experience...

While visiting beautiful Alexandria Bay, we stumbled upon Dark Island Spirits. Let me tell you, we were so glad that we did.

The moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by friendly faces and knowledgeable staff who guided us on our tasting journey.

We tried a few flights, and to be honest, we enjoyed every single tasting sample. We ended up leaving with a few bottles of the Eleanor Glen 1000 Islays - Peated American Single Malt Whiskey as well as a few bottles of the Mountain Strong - Corn whiskey aged in one of our used bourbon barrels.

If you're in the area, I highly suggest stopping by and trying some amazing and unique spirits.

UPDATE: 8/28/24

Stopped back in and got to meet Kelly and William. Both had an infectious energy and made our visit totally amazing. Can not recommend Dark Island enough. Try a flight or grab a drink and chill on the patio. Can't wait for...