Grand Traverse Distillery sits in an industrial park just outside downtown Traverse City, where founders Kent Rabish and Landis Rabish turned their decades of winemaking experience into something entirely different. The father-son duo launched the distillery in 2007, bringing the same attention to terroir and local ingredients that made their Grand Traverse region famous for wine. Kent had been making wine in the area since the 1970s, but both men wanted to explore how Michigan’s agricultural bounty could translate into spirits. They converted a 6,000-square-foot industrial space into a working distillery, complete with a custom-built 500-gallon copper pot still from Germany and a tasting room that feels more like a wine bar than your typical distillery. The Rabishes didn’t just jump into distilling blindly. They spent two years researching equipment, techniques, and Michigan’s emerging craft distilling laws before opening their doors. Kent’s background in fermentation science proved invaluable, while Landis brought business acumen and a keen palate for flavor development. They started with vodka and gin, using local wheat and botanicals, before expanding into whiskey production. The team includes master distiller Moti Goldring, who joined in 2015 and brought experience from larger operations, helping them scale production while maintaining their small-batch approach. Visitors walk into a space that bridges the gap between industrial production and intimate tastings. You can see the fermentation tanks and still through large windows, while the tasting room showcases their full range of spirits alongside local artwork. The experience feels distinctly Northern Michigan – clean, unpretentious, and focused on letting the spirits speak for themselves. They produce everything from potato vodka to bourbon, but their commitment to using Michigan ingredients whenever possible sets them apart from many craft distilleries.