28 Mile Distilling Company sits on Sheridan Road in Highwood, Illinois, about 28 miles north of downtown Chicago—hence the name that founder Mike Stankiewicz chose when he opened the distillery in 2018. Stankiewicz, who previously worked in corporate finance, decided to pursue his passion for craft spirits after years of home distilling as a hobby. The distillery operates out of a renovated industrial space in Highwood’s small business district, producing small-batch whiskey, gin, and vodka using traditional copper pot stills. The operation started as a grain-to-glass distillery with Stankiewicz handling most aspects of production himself, from mashing and fermenting to distilling and bottling. He focuses on sourcing local grains when possible and uses a combination of traditional techniques with modern equipment to create his spirits. The distillery has grown from a one-man operation to include a small team, but maintains its commitment to hands-on, small-batch production methods. What began as weekend farmers market sales has evolved into a full tasting room experience where visitors can sample the spirits and learn about the distillation process directly from the people making them.