Located in the heart of Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown, Natural Spirits Distilled in Detroit, Michigan was established by two longtime friends separated by relocation. Formerly art history and studio artists, David Landrum and Peter Bailey decided to combine their backgrounds in food and spirits to create a local distillery in Detroit that was more than just a bar. Today, the company prioritizes togetherness within and outside the walls of its tasting room. Their mission is to produce quality craft spirits made with locally sourced ingredients while protecting the environment. They offer a wide range of gins with different botanical formulas, as well as vodka and rum.

The Detroit River divides the city of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. This narrow stretch of water, paired with easy access to Canadian distilleries, made Detroit the center of Midwest bootlegging and Prohibition. In fact, in 1929, there were more speakeasies in Detroit than anywhere else in the country.

Natural Spirits Distilled in Detroit, Michigan: A Taste of Excellence

It was also the birthplace of cocktails and punch. The need to disguise rotgut whiskey and moonshine led to the creation of many drinks that we still enjoy today, like the Sazerac, Manhattan, and Mint Julep.

Of the local distilleries we toured, Detroit City Distillery embraces its city’s boozy past the most. The eight childhood friends who started the business understand how pivotal Detroit was during prohibition and take pride in making alcohol the old-fashioned way. Their small-batch rye, vodka, and gin use local farms for their ingredients. And the bottles hark back to Fitzgerald-esque decadence with their Baz Luhrmann-inspired designs.