Blinking Owl - OC's First Distillery!

Have you been to Orange County's first ever distillery, Blinking Owl yet? I recently had a fabulous experience visiting to do a tour and tasting of their delicious spirits!

Started late last year, Blinking Owl has been quite busy since opening and has plans to expand their spirits line even further. They currently make a vodka, an orange 🍊 vodka (using OC grown oranges!), an aquavit (my fav!), and a gin. 

The owners have really made a point of trying to do things the old fashioned hard way. They do every process in house from milling and mashing the grain in house, then fermenting and distilling it in house too. 

During the tour they'll take you through the production facility and depending on the time of 
year and day you visit you'll get to see the spirits in various steps. It's quite an impressive facility that appears to run like a well oiled machine. You can also tell that the owner take a lot of pride in what they do and have much affection for what they've put together here - they've even named all the machines including the gorgeous copper stills which is named after the owners' pets! 

We also got a peek at their bourbon aging away. This beauty won't be ready for several years but it's exciting to think that at some point in the future we'll be able to have local OC homegrown bourbon! 

They also offer a unique whiskey program where you can make, bottle and age your own whiskey! It's not cheap (starts at $8K) but wow, where else can you say you made your own whiskey and aged it yourself?!

  

You can tell they put just as much thought into the Tasting Room as they did into the production facility. It's not big mind you, but they have a nice long bar on one side which affords a direct view of the distillery behind it and comfy couches and a cozy conversation nook on the opposite side. 

They also have a nice patio off to the side with some long couches and low tables - perfect for groups. This area actually is quite large and could easily be rented for events too.

They offer a tasting of their liquors so you can try them straight to see which is to your liking; or, if straight liquor tasting isn't your thing they also serve several tasty cocktails made exclusively with their spirits in the tasting room of at their gorgeous facility. If you decide you like one of their spirits, you can also buy a bottle to take home! 

Just a tip too - they're getting ready to release an aged gin that's been aged in sweet semillion wine barrels at their anniversary party next month. I got to try a taste and if you're a fellow gin lover you're gonna be blown away by it.

Blinking Owl Distillery is located at 802 E. Washington in Santa Ana

Call to schedule a tour or a tasting: 714/852-3947

or you can also book a tour online: https://blinkingowldistillery.com/

Tour & Tasting is $30 and lasts approximately 45 minutes. 

Tasting Room Hours

Thursday: 5pm-8pm

Friday: 4pm-9pm
Saturday: 2pm-9pm
Sunday: 2pm-6pm