A Bouquet of Flavors at Rhode Island Spirits

Rhode Island’s Newest Distillery Crafts Distinctly Local Liquors and Liqueurs

The small-batch botanical gin that Rhode Island Spirits owners Kara Larson and Cathy Plourde have created is like nothing else out there: It’s a garden party for the taste buds. It starts out subtle and refreshing with juniper, elderberry and rosehip; becomes bold and forthright with the taste of Aronia berry, autumnberry (Elaeagnus umbellate) and clove; and ends with a crescendo of aromas and flavors: sumac, red clover, rose petal and nasturtium.

And the best part? Eight of the 15 botanical ingredients in it are local to the Blackstone Valley, where Rhode Island Spirits is located, making it 100% unique. Larson and Plourde, who opened the distillery and tasting room in an early-1900s-era mill along the east bank of the Blackstone River in Pawtucket seven months ago, said that, of their nine liquor and liqueur offerings, the botanical gin is their truest expression of a hyper-local gin.

“The reason we started Rhode Island Spirits is directly connected to what got us excited about making gin in the first place,” Larson said, adding that their interest in gin started when they lived in the United Kingdom for a few years before moving to Pawtucket in October 2016. “There are so many kinds and expressions of gin with local ingredients and flavors to make a distinctive product. There’s so much native botanical material that grows here in Rhode Island and consequently there’s an enormous amount of opportunity here.”

Plourde, who enjoys foraging for the botanicals that they include in their liquors and liqueurs, explained that all of their products start with a 100% organic, non-GMO, gluten-free corn spirit they purchase from a Connecticut company. For their Rhodium vodka, the base is already six times distilled and charcoal filtered, but they redistill it with apples to give it viscosity and increase the mouthfeel so it’s smooth on the palate.

Their Rhodium gin features traditional gin botanicals, and alongside the juniper berries (a must for liquor to be classified as gin) are flavors like cardamom, coriander, citrus and local fennel and lemon balm, resulting in a balanced, smooth spirit. Their brand name, Rhodium, is both a nod to Rhode Island and a shiny natural chemical element that’s found in the soil along many New England riverbanks.

Other current offerings in their tasting room include Rhodium Limoncello and small batches of botanical gin, dry gin, citron vodka, grapefruitcello, coffee liqueur and vermouth, all of which customers can enjoy in seasonal cocktails or in a tasting flight. A new product they’re developing is a liqueur made with pawpaw, North America’s native tropical-like fruit. Rocky Point Farm in Warwick is supplying the fruit, which has a creamy texture, and the flavor is akin to a blend of cantaloupe, strawberry and papaya.

While in the UK, the couple explored craft gins from all around Europe and developed an appreciation for how local botanicals add unique dimensions to the overall flavor.

“We found a gin that’s made with an olive specific to one region in Spain,” Plourde said, adding that it’s fun to match ingredients with flavor, mouthfeel and dimension. “You can’t put your finger on it while you’re tasting it but you know there is something distinct and special in there. Similarly, one of our goals is to feature flavors and ingredients that are unique to this area.”

Aside from the redistilling process, which for gin involves botanicals being steeped in the spirits as well as vapor infusion for the more delicate botanicals, many of their small-batch liquors and liqueurs are made through the process of extraction and compounding. This involves mixing ingredients until the desired flavor ratio is correct or infusing ingredients by letting them soak in the liquor for a certain amount of time.

Currently, Plourde and Larson are the only female distillery owners in Rhode Island. Larson said it’s likely they’re also the only married female couple to own a distillery in the country. At least thus far she hasn’t been able to find another.

“We make a good team and every week or so we try to have a focused discussion on how we’re going to divide and conquer whatever is coming our way,” Larson said, adding that they play to each other’s strengths. “A typical day is bouncing from one thing to another. I handled an enormous delivery of ingredients and supplies we needed. Cathy went out and foraged walnuts this morning so she could work on perfecting the coffee liqueur, which is infused with coffee, cardamom and black walnuts.”

Rhode Island Spirits is now being distributed around the state through a wholesaler, so a big focus is spending time visiting local liquor stores and restaurants in hopes that owners will want to sell or utilize the Rhodium brand. Liquor distribution is different in every state because of the wide variations in Prohibition-era liquor laws. The laws can be very frustrating, especially for a new business. By law in Rhode Island, a distillery like Rhode Island Spirits can only sell one bottle of liquor on site to any one customer per day.

“The one-bottle-per-person-per-day law hamstrings us, but that said, we’re grateful for the brewers and distillers who have worked so hard to make it so we can have a tasting room [and sell our product direct to consumers],” Plourde said.

It also helps that the Visit Rhode Island and Tour the Blackstone Valley travel guides include them in a map and list of all the distilleries, breweries and vineyards in the state or region.

Having lived in Portland, Maine, before the UK, during their previous careers in nonprofit leadership, Plourde says that Pawtucket is similar to what Portland was before it became a such a popular tourist destination.

“Pawtucket is ripe for revitalization and we’re glad to be in a city that is welcoming to small businesses. I don’t think we would have gotten such support and positive reception from many other places,” she said. “It’s exciting to become an anchor business and see the growth around us.”

The Rhode Island Spirits tasting room is welcoming and cozy—soft afternoon light shines through a large skylight that is original to the mill. There are seats for all moods: table and chairs, couches, bar stools, benches and even a fireplace to warm up to on a crisp fall or cold winter day. Plourde said they toured numerous distilleries and breweries across the Northeast, trying to develop their own vision for a tasting room.

“Comfortable and welcoming doesn’t need to be fancy,” she said. “We wanted to create a ‘third space’ for people to hang out outside of home or work.”

Since the mill sits on the bank of the Blackstone River, they’ve opened a shady outdoor garden area for visitors to enjoy as they sip on a cocktail. Also on the riverbank is Plourde’s container garden for sampling botanicals that are used in the making of Rhodium spirits, such as licorice root, nasturtium, pawpaw, bay, rosemary and angelica.

At the moment, it’s just Larson and Plourde. They’re the bartenders, distillers, decorators, office managers and foragers. In the future, they plan to hire others to help out and fill other roles as they grow. And when it comes to goals and growth, Plourde says they’re not lacking for ideas.

“We’re interested in making our own tonics, and expanding into the canned cocktail world as well as private label contract distilling,” Plourde said. “And of course, we want to cross state lines with distribution. We’re really eager to have people fall in love with the brand, and discover Rhodium as a premium product.”

Rhode Island Spirits
59 Blackstone Ave., Pawtucket, RI
For more information on tasting room hours and a full list of products, visit RhodeIslandSpirits.com.