Durham Distillery pours a decade of know-how into its first bourbon.
“Civilization begins with distillation”—William Faulkner’s words refuse to age as the gin house that helped put the Bull City on the spirits map makes a “damn fine” foray into whiskey business.
“With our gins, every component has a purpose,” Durham Distillery co-founder Melissa Katrincic tells RM, “and Lee brought that same approach to blending this bourbon.”
And they didn’t rush it. More than a decade after launching, co-founder, President and Master Distiller Lee Katrincic is putting his name behind Damn Fine Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. At just 2,080 bottles, the limited first-batch eight-barrel blend draws on his distilling moxie, flavor-balancing prowess and years behind the still—plus a whiskey-blending education that includes a master class with one of modern American whiskey’s most influential figures: the late Dave Pickerell.
And the magic is in the mix. Distilled and aged in Kentucky, Lee handpicked six mature rye-recipe barrels for structure, depth and a lingering finish, then two wheated barrels for softness and approachability, developing the final rich, rounded blend at Durham Distillery.
“What feels distinctly us,” says Melissa, “is the thought put into the finished spirit: how the flavors work together and how it drinks, whether you’re enjoying it neat or in a cocktail.”
Aged a minimum of four years, that versatile result walks an intentional tightrope, with enough depth and personality to sip neat and enough spice to hold its own in a cocktail, adds Melissa. On the nose, warm vanilla, toasted oak and caramel meet an inviting pop of bright rye spice and crisp apple before giving way to butterscotch, brown sugar and soft milk chocolate. A high-rye backbone carries through to a lingering finish of warm cinnamon, cracked pepper, toasted nuts and oak. Lee’s preferred pour? A Damn Fine Manhattan riff (see below).
So why bourbon—and why now? “Gin has been such an important part of our story, but our curiosity about spirits has always extended beyond it,” says Melissa. “The right time came when we had a blend we were proud to put our name on.”
As for whether Damn Fine signals a bigger whiskey chapter, the distillery isn’t spilling that just yet. For now, it’s focused on giving those first eight barrels the attention they deserve—and hearing what drinkers think. But more whiskey isn’t off the table—“We’re definitely excited about expanding the lineup,” teases Melissa. We’ll drink to that.
In honor of Durham Distillery’s 10-year anny, here’s 10 things to know.
He was a chemist, she did marketing—could a gin distillery be any more obvious? Fast-forward 10 years and the idea born on a fateful drive back from a weekend anniversary trip to Savannah is now celebrating a decade—and what started as a random business concept by husband-and-wife founders Melissa and Lee Katrincic has now burgeoned into one of the most successful gin companies in the country.
With several award-winning bottles under its belt—the most recent being the purple Conniption Kinship Gin (you can’t miss it)—the successful spirits are available in myriad markets, from New York to Georgia to Florida, with plans to expand even farther.
And of course there’s also the ever-popular Bull City cocktail lounge and bar, Corpse Reviver. But the ultimate goal? “If we do this right, I want Conniption to be seen in the next five to 10 years as the highest-quality American gin,” says Melissa. “I know it’s a really big reach, but I want Conniption to be to gin what Tito’s is to vodka for America.” Cheers to dreaming big.
1 The name “conniption” comes from Melissa’s Grandma Gertrude’s “Well, don’t have a conniption fit” saying
2 It’s been smooth sipping ever since Durham Distillery released its Conniption Cocktails, aka the first RTD cans in NC.
3 But wait, there’s more! The distillery doesn’t just produce gin—in addition to the RTD bevs, they also offer vodka and Damn Fine Liqueurs (chocolate, coffee, mocha).
4 Hats off. The distillery’s Conniption Navy Strength Gin has been named the best in the country in the Navy Strength category at the World Gin Awards for five years running.
5 A dream come true: Durham Distillery can be found at “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” specifically at the Space 220 Restaurant in Epcot.
6 Melissa is a trained gin judge for the American Distilling Institute competitions. “At this point, I’m pretty confident I’ve tried over 500 gins,” she says
7 Prepare for takeoff—Conniption Cocktails and Cuisine is opening in Terminal 2 at RDU Airport next year with full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus—plus draft cocktails, subzero martinis, slushies and more.
8 Conniption American Dry made a home run at Yankee Stadium over the summer.
9 Back by popular demand, the distillery is re-releasing a limited run of its 10-month-aged gin in High West bourbon barrels starting in October.
10 The American Dry is also in No. 1-selling cocktail at Midtown Manhattan’s glamorous cocktail lounge The Skylark.
