Spirit Lab Distilling sits in Charlottesville’s Belmont neighborhood, occupying a former warehouse space that founders Kristen and David Dunbar transformed into Virginia’s most experimental craft distillery. The husband-wife team opened in 2015 after David left his career as a biotechnology researcher and Kristen stepped away from marketing consulting. Their scientific backgrounds show everywhere—from the precise temperature controls to the detailed fermentation logs they keep for every batch. The 3,000-square-foot facility houses a 250-gallon copper still from Germany alongside smaller experimental equipment where they test new recipes and techniques. You’ll find everything from traditional bourbon to coffee-infused whiskey and seasonal gin varieties, all made with ingredients sourced primarily from Virginia farms. The Dunbars didn’t set out to be just another craft distillery making the same products as everyone else. David’s research background led him to approach distillation like laboratory work, keeping detailed notes on every variable and constantly tweaking recipes based on results. They’ve developed partnerships with local coffee roasters for their coffee whiskey and work with Charlottesville-area farmers for specialty grains. The tasting room feels more like a modern laboratory than a rustic barn, with clean lines, stainless steel accents, and detailed charts showing their various experiments. Kristen handles the business side while David focuses on production, and they’ve built a following among spirits enthusiasts who appreciate their willingness to push boundaries and try unusual flavor combinations.