Review: Spirits of Griffo Distillery (Updated 2026)
Northern California’s Griffo Distillery enticed us with its recent release of whiskey distilled from Lagunitas’ The Waldos beer, so we’re diving back into the distillery’s offerings with a deeper dive into some of its more mainstream, permanent releases.
Let’s not sit on ceremony as we delve into a collection that spans vodka, gin, whiskey, and even a liqueur.
Update 2026: We’ve added a fresh look at Griffo’s stout barreled whiskey along with coverage of its new espresso martini RTD offering.
Griffo Distillery Vodka Review
Made from 100% corn, copper pot distilled. A bold, Old World medicinal attack leads off on the nose, creating a bracing, lightly minty character, with a black pepper edge. If you told me this was from Eastern Europe, I would totally believe you. Increasingly bright and lightly lemony as it opens up with a little airtime. The palate is equally sharp at first, though here the black pepper fades more to white as the aggressive punch finds some tempering. The initial bite retreats to make way for a creamier body, now showing a clearer lemon note and a touch of vanilla to sweeten things up. It remains plenty sharp on the finish, though, with more of a lemon peel note abutting grains of paradise and a pinch of nutmeg. Versatile and excellent. 80 proof. Reviewed: Batch #12. A- / $24
Griffo Distillery Scott Street Gin Review
A “crisp and fresh twist on the traditional English gin,” this is a London Dry style offering flavored with wild juniper, Meyer lemons, grains of paradise, and coriander (and presumably more that are undisclosed), proofed with Russian River water. An immediate burst of citrus fills the air when the gin is poured, but this is tempered with air time, and the spirit eventually reveals an earthier, slightly leathery character. A touch of charcoal provides a somewhat gravelly quality to the proceedings. The palate is heavy with peppery spice, the citrus notes fading quickly and, for this taster, a bit disappointingly. What clings to the back end is a fruit quality more akin to lime leaf, with exotic coriander making a significant showing. Touches of incense ring the edges of the gin, continuing the exotic, eastern theme. The finish is tight but earthy, with a mineral kick. Again, a versatile gin that should work well enough in just about anything without drawing too much attention to itself. 92 proof. Reviewed: Batch #26. B+ / $34
Griffo Distillery Stony Point Whiskey Review
Organic corn, rye, and barley mash, aged in “local barrels with both American and French oak” — the latter of which is probably why this isn’t billed as a bourbon. Boldly malty on the nose, the whiskey sees elements of corn and almonds backed up by a gentle quality of green grass, fortunately not quite coming across as weedy. The nutty palate strikes a good balance between silky almond and peanut, plus a lightly spiced popcorn character. Quite creamy as it develops on the tongue, there’s a pop of peppery rye on the back end that adds an additional kick to the proceedings. The finish is loaded with mocha, dark chocolate, anise, and some ruddy, gravelly notes. Seductive yet austere at the same time. And yeah, I guess it doesn’t present itself much like a bourbon in the end. 94 proof. Reviewed: Batch #17. B+ / $45
Griffo Distillery Stout Barreled Whiskey 2024 Review
Something of a baby brother to Still Waldos, this is whiskey made from a bourbon mash, finished in stout barrels from Lagunitas. No age information. On the nose, the whiskey is oaky and herbal and lightly hoppy, though I doubt there is much in the way of actual hops in the barrel here, with a big, racy note of citrus peel that comes as something of a surprise. When it hits the tongue, the whiskey reveals a very drying quality, built around dill, coffee, and dark chocolate, and the experience is quite warming as it moves into more of a festive gingerbread character later down the road. The finish spices things up with notes of red pepper followed by a big shift into softer, sweeter fare: honey grahams, caramel sauce, and ample vanilla. The fade-out reminds me of well-frosted cinnamon rolls. This is a whiskey that really needs time in glass to grow into its own — and it does, eventually. 90 proof. Reviewed: Batch #14. A- / $48
Griffo Distillery Stout Barreled Whiskey 2026 Review
The price has ticked up a bit on this offering over the last couple of years. but the presentation has diverged only slightly more. Oaky, hoppy, and cereal-driven notes dominate the nose, coming across as well-toasted and roasted, evoking ground coffee, pre-preparation. I didn’t see the citrus note from the 2024 expression this time around, but I didn’t really miss it, allowing a nuttier and more toasty quality to dominate. Coffee hits right away on the palate, with dark chocolate and almond brittle elements adding a gentle sweetness. Slightly smoky as it develops, the influence of the stout becomes crystal clear with notes of chocolate malt balls and burnt caramel giving the experience a real dark beer punch. That cinnamon spice on the finish remains a constant, though here it is impregnated with cloves and a strong reprise of coffee with a moderate dosage of vanilla syrup. Still a beautiful little whiskey that feels tailor-made for fall sipping. Batch #33. A- / $55
Griffo Distillery Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur Review
Griffo’s vodka is paired with Equator Coffees’ Mocha Java Blend to create a liqueur that is brisk on the nose, nutty with the appropriate level of medium-roast coffee notes. Light mocha notes become surprisingly fruity on the palate, with a clear raspberry note emerging. Sweetness is courtesy of a light brown sugar quality that perseveres for a significant amount of time. The finish sees some light bitterness emerging and enduring with an expressive earthiness. Overall this is milder in body than some recent top-shelf coffee liqueurs, but its expressive fruitiness gives it a decidedly unique spin. 50 proof. Reviewed: Batch #19. A- / $32
Griffo Distillery Espresso Martini Premium Cocktail Review
Simple stuff: A blend of Griffo’s coffee liqueur and its vodka, and based on the abv it’s mostly coffee liqueur. Intriguingly, the addition of a little vodka does wonders, lightening up the nutty coffee character just so and giving it a silkiness that the Cold Brew alone lacks. It’s not quite as sweet, which helps the coffee influence hit on all cylinders, with lacings of coconut nectar and some of that tart raspberry from the coffee liqueur peeking through as the finish arrives. It makes for a lively little cocktail in no need of doctoring aside from a hearty shake with lots of ice and straining into the appropriate glass. With virtually nothing in the way of pungent bitterness in evidence, fans of more exuberant and drinker-friendly espresso ‘tinis will find it on point. 56 proof. No batch information. A- / $27
Griffo Distillery Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
USD32
