This is not a review of Port Chilkoot's restaurant or their spirits. But after a journey that spanned the width of the North American continent, I've realized that the most important "ingredient" in Port Chilkoot Distillery's, specifically their bourbon isn't the food or the grain, it's the character of Heather and David. Finding a truly non-sourced, grain-to-glass bourbon is a challenge anywhere, but in Alaska, it's a flat-out rarity. It isn't a state known for bourbon, and a local release like this only happens about once every three years. For a long time, the Alaska slot on my 50 state and Washington DC non-sourced bourbon quest felt like a dead end...logistically impossible and incredibly scarce. It honestly felt like a journey that wasn't meant to be finished until I sent a shot-in-the-dark email to Heather. That one message changed everything. Instead of a generic "out of stock" reply, I found two people who actually cared enough about the integrity of my project. Heather and David didn't just point me to a website; they personally stepped in to shepherd a rare, signed Boatwright Single Barrel Bourbon from Haines all the way to Anchorage to make sure it could get to me in Ohio. If they're willing to go to those lengths for someone they've never met, it says everything you need to know about how they run their distillery. They aren't just making spirits; they're running a class act. These bottles are now a centerpiece for me, not just because of the "once-in-three-years" rarity, but because of the people who helped me lock down one of the toughest states on the map. To Heather and David: Thanks for keeping the craft and the hospitality real. I look forward to the day I can thank them both not across a keyboard, but across a glass in Haines. read more

Craft Cocktails with a quality not found in small towns, if any at all. For that reason alone this place truly is a gem. The staff are always eager to serve and talk with patrons. This place deserves more attention, it's a shame it's closed Sun-Wed read more

I'm a distillery guy, specifically a boutique distillery guy. So this is my kind of place... check it out if you're in Haines... other than great outdoors activities, this place is the thing to do in Haines. Staff is super friendly - I was actually here years ago before they had bourbon... essentially at the inception. I'm delighted to be back and see bourbon in the lineup. read more

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This place is really neat. The only reason I am giving it a four star review is because when I purchased a sampler the lady was a bit stingy with her poor. It was literally a few drops in each sample. Mind you I paid for the sampler, it was not free. Those glasses in the picture are tiny. So maybe loosen up on the samplers lady, you will probably sell more product.. Other than that, pretty good! Worth a try! read more

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Closed in the winter, regardless of what Yelp has on website. Tried a few times during listed hours. Would have enjoyed a tasting.

Great place in the heart of town next to historic buildings. The people were nice and the drinks were on par. Good pricing and love the atmosphere. If you find yourself in town this should be a stop for everyone. read more

Unique and moody atmosphere, definitely a spot you don't want to miss out on. It seemed like both locals and tourist alike were getting drinks. The interior has a good amount of seating, comfy chairs while there are benches outside to enjoy the ocean view. We came to try the spruce tip cocktails as our guide said it packed some vitamin C! If your a fan of sweet drinks I would recomend the Bees Knees sweet and smooth. The spruce tip lemonade was refreshing and had a bit of a earthy, leafy end notes. Definitely worth a try! All the drinks we tried were delicious and the vibes were pretty solid. read more

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Who would have thunk it! A distillery in the middle of nowhere and a damn good one to boot! With a total population of 2056 people in Haines I had very low expectations about this distillery and thought it would be just one notch above moonshine. Boy was I surprised!!! This distillery makes excellent Bourbon and Rum in my opinion that can hold its own against the big boys in this business. They sell a 3 year old and 5 year old Bourbon that has a creamy texture with great aromatics and nice notes of honey, vanilla and Caramel shining through. Both bourbons were actually quite smooth and went down so well. I was so impressed with the 5 year old bourbon that I bought a bottle of it and snuck it aboard out cruise ship to drink later (against the rules. Sorry NCL...). The bottle is now proudly displayed on my bar shelf at home right next to my incensed bottle of Woodford Double Oaked Reserve. Relative to location, the distillery is literally just a short 1/4 mile up the hill from the cruise port and is an easy walk there. As this is a tasting room by Alaskan law they can only serve customers 3 oz's max liquor a day which allows for a tasting flight of smaller samples and one of their regular sized speciality cocktails which is exactly what we did. We ended up spending maybe 90 minutes total at this distillery not only enjoying their liquor but also our interaction with their super friendly staff. At then end of the day it was the best thing we experienced on Haines and will be a memory I will long cherish of my trip to Alaska. 5 stars in my book and an experience not to be missed especially if you are a fan of Bourbon and rum neat. read more

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Very friendly staff and great pricing! Our favorites were the rye and the absinthe. Definitely share a tasting to see what you like first. Usually a vodka girl but the icy pointe vodka was rough (a bit smirfnoff-y). Beautiful photos of wildlife in Alaska though! read more

Great local distillery! One of the highlights of a visit to Haines. I came here to drink even though I had a drink package on my cruise liner. The gin especially, is delightful. Highly recommend. read more

Gin, rye and bourbon, craft made spirits. My wife had the vodka, gin and bourbon. We particularly enjoyed the bourbon which was smooth and pleasant with a hint of butterscotch. I also enjoyed the gin which, besides the juniper, had a few other hints of cinnamon and cardamom. A nice place. Our pourer was from California here for the summer. She told us the story of the local couple who started the place. Can't get their product outside of Alaska. A good deal as well. $12 for six shots. We made our own flight. Mark & Nancy. read more

Port Chilkoot Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Haines, Alaska

Some of the best Gin and Rye Whiskey I've tasted. I visited as a day (FULL day) trip while visiting Juneau and it was well worth it. Even bought some bottles to bring back home. Check it out if you're in the area. Thanks Sean! read more

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Haines was a stop on our recent cruise to Alaska. We saw an article on this place in Sunset Magazine and made a point of stopping there. It's an easy walk from the cruise port. They are locally owned, making vodka, gin, rye and absinthe. It's a great place with friendly staff, a full bar and craft cocktails. A nice porch for tastings and hanging out. They packaged everything we bought in bubble wrap for traveling and it all made it home safely. They sell some creative Tee Shirts and hoodies there too. Definitely worth a stop. read more

Excellent cocktails, excellent liquor, excellent attitudes. My husband and I stopped by three or four times during our two weeks in Haines. I enjoyed the flights. My husband liked the Svenson. We both enjoyed the Hot Toddy. They currently focus on absinthe, gin, bourbon, and rye drinks, since those are the spirits they make (and moonshine, which didn't appear in any cocktails while I was there), but I noticed they also have mocktails. It was also nice that they maintained a binder with publicity about the distillery. I enjoyed reading about its history. Wish I'd met the owners/founders. One was a professional biologist, and I'm always wondering what else to do with this degree. read more

We had the old fashion and the spruce it up gin. It was really good! Mixed perfectly. The rye and gin were made in house and very tasty. One of the best old fashions my husband has had. A lot of depth and the perfect amount of sweet and bitter. We'll be back when we are in town! read more

Port Chilkoot offers a delicious London dry style gin that includes a bit of local spruce tips in its recipe. This is my favorite gin for a great martini! Try their tasty whiskeys as well read more

Must visit while in Haines! This distillery makes gin, vodka, rye, absinthe, bourbon on site- try them in the sampler. Gin and vodka were outstanding- but the best part is they make craft cocktails (cinnamon hot toddy, buttered bourbon among others we tried) that rival those I have at home in San Francisco. Wish I could have purchased more than 2 per Alaska law. They ship their bottles too! Lovely bartenders. read more

While in Haines, my family and I stoped in here. We were all super impressed with the gin, and some of us got some to take home. If you are in town and want an excellent cocktail where locals hang out, this is definitely the spot. read more

Their Gin is amazing! Spruced Up Gin cocktail is fantastic. Using the tips of Spruce trees to create this awesome cocktail. Would love to get back here! The staff was really helpful and friendly! Get here! read more

Great little distillery in a historic fort building! We stopped here twice while in Haines. Delicious drinks - I enjoyed the rye whiskey the best (both in an Old Fashioned and on the rocks). Gorgeous woodwork inside, chill atmosphere, knowledgable bartenders, and a porch where you can look out over the bay while you sip your beverage. What's not to like?! read more