Behind the Scenes: Bryan’s Adventure to iStill Headquarters in the Netherlands

Hey Swilled Fans! Have you heard about our latest adventure? Bryan, one of our production team members just returned from the Netherlands where he completed and passed the Certified Master Distillers Training at the iStill headquarters in Woerden. The program was a rigorous week-long program that offered practical, hands-on experience with an in-depth look into spirit making, including brandy, gin, rum, vodka, and our favorite… whiskey.

Of course, Bryan’s trip included plenty of opportunities to sample some fine spirits. As part of the training, he visited Rutte Distillery in Dordrecht, where he got a behind-the-scenes look at this distillery renowned for their celery gin. Who knew celery could be so tasty?

When Bryan wasn’t busy with training, he was out exploring. He made a stop at the Heineken Experience and Keukenhof Gardens, which happened to be in peak tulip season. The botanical gardens are a major attraction with seven million bulbs planted and 800 different varieties of tulips to see. Bryan is a huge plant enthusiast (we call him our resident plant papi) so this was definitely a highlight.

This trip added another pin to Bryan’s travel map. He’s already been to all 50 states and 13 countries, but this was his first time in the Netherlands. He loves to travel and explore new places, so walking around the countryside and taking in the scenery was a fun day of work for him. 

This experience was a fantastic opportunity for us to further develop our expertise in using the iStill, which has been a key part of our distillery for some time now. We can’t wait to download on Bryan’s trip and continue exploring the  possibilities and sharing our knowledge of this groundbreaking technology with our fans in the future.