NOLA Distillery

NOLA Distilling Closes Permanently | Eater New Orleans

"I watched bar manager Niki Sideris preside over a parade of solemn drinkers and tasting-room regulars after the distillery announced on Facebook that the bank had decreed everything must shut down, making April 13 its final day. A thousand liters of gin lined up in unlabeled bottles, dozens of barrels aging into brandy or whiskey, and experimental absinthe the distillers were developing will never see the light of day. Owner Kirk Coco tried to quietly find new investors and remained optimistic until the end, but the business—opened in December 2016—was forced to close despite having supplied gallon jugs of frozen daiquiris on parade days, hosting yoga classes, and winning awards for its vodkas. I appreciated their emphasis on local sourcing—sweet potatoes from Avoyelles Parish for vodka, Louisiana molasses for rum, cold brew from French Truck Coffee for the liqueur, and cayenne peppers from NOCCA’s Press Street Gardens—and visitors loved the well-loved tasting room, beautifully renovated space, and the high-end copper column stills on view. On its final day the distillery was open noon–10 p.m., serving $5 frozen daiquiris (as on “Five Dollar Frozen Friday”), a range of classic cocktails (mojito, white/black Russians, Moscow Mule) and original creations that showcased their plain and cayenne pepper vodkas, Navy-proof clear rum, and Coffee Cruiser coffee liqueur; bottles were priced at $27.27 (plain vodka), $30 (cayenne vodka), $27.27 (Coffee Cruiser), and $22.73 (Navy-proof rum), tax excluded. I urged people to tip generously, grab a bottle to remember, and pour a splash out in memory of the distillery." - Nora McGunnigle