Visited with a group at the end of a day in wine country. Actually this was the perfect ending, since several were already a bit 'happy', and Silverback made them happier. When visiting distilleries, ABC laws only permit consumers to be served a total of 3 ounces of their product. But despite that they seemed really busy. We told our inside server we wanted to get our samples in the outside bar, only to learn that bar was in the process of closing for the evening. When we went back inside, our original server gave us a big smile and said "You're back, so I must have gotten a lot better looking!" Sense of humor - check. Silverback has 4 options; vodka, gin, rye whisky, and grain, which are served either straight or part of a mixed drink. I'm not generally a liquor aficionado (although I made an exception for their rye), but I did enjoy their mixed drinks. Special shout out to their gin-infused Tom Collins and "Grain & Hot Chocolate". After some quick-thinking Facebook posts, I got Dad a bottle of the rye. read more

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Excellent time! Have to give credit to our hostess/bartender Cory. The spirits were very good! Well worth a trip. However, Cory was the highlight if the trip. Personable, efficient, knowledgeable, great fun. Stop by, have a drink, enjoy. read more

We stopped in for a taste after a rave mention by one of the ladies next door at Blue Toad Hard Ciders. We were really interested to try their Rye Whiskey, vodka, and their Gin. Sadly, we were only given the option to taste the Gin and the moonshine - which we did taste. I was not a fan of the moonshine (grain spirit), but we did enjoy the Gin - enough that I bought my friend Andrew a bottle of it (he's a Gin aficionado extraordinaire). The place was packed when we arrived - literally swarming like fire ants swarming through the jungle - trying to get to the booze. Okay, that's an exaggeration, but the place was really busy. Later, I bought a bottle of their "BERINGEI" vodka from the Virginia ABC Store - from a flavor profile perspective - it reminds me a bit of Tito's vodka - which is a nice vodka for making high end cocktails. Check them out if you are visiting the Afton/Nellysford/Roseland/Wintergreen, VA area! read more

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Open for business worth stopping off on the "151" ...the s'mores is fantastic. Nice staff easy parking read more

Silverback Distillery - Happy 21st cheers - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

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ALEXiS just made my fiends birthday! We rolled up about 15 minutes before closing expecting to be turned away- but just the opposite happened. We were welcomed in and had amazing bloody Mary's and shots of gold. This place is awesome. We got a few bottles to go but we will be back for sure because of the amazing customer service!!! Can't wait to return!!!! read more

I really like this place. It is well-appointed and the spirits are sublime. My favorites were the Bourbon and Honey Whiskey. Bartenders are funny and friendly and the cocktails are complex and tasty. Bought some bottles and will be back for more! read more

My friend and I stumbled upon this place while driving in the area. I am new to drinking whiskey and thought It would be a cool experience to come to a distillery. To my surprise it wasn't what I had expected. I thought everything was going to be whiskey, but they had a great section of other different drinks, mixes that included vodka, gin, and moonshine. Service: I was a bit overwhelmed, but our bartender Trevor was very helpful! He greeted us immediately when we walked in and give us a menu and explained to us a little about. He made great recommendations, and informed us that we could only be severed 3oz total of alcohol permitted by state laws. This was good information to know before hand because my friend and I are just visiting and from out of state. Trevor went on to explain each of their alcohol bottles, how they were made, and his personal favorite. Taste: My friend and I decided to split a flight of all the different alcohols they have (7- 1/2oz shots). Since we are only allowed 3oz we split the 1/2 oz flights so we could order 1 drink after based on which we liked the best. The flight had a vodka, 2 times or gin, 1 moonshine, and 3 whiskeys (2 rye and a bourbon). The ones that stood out to be was the honey rye and their signature bourbon. I decided to get one if their specials, the smoked s'mores. This was the first time I got a smoked whiskey and really enjoyed the experience. I thought it was super unique how they burn the wood from a barrel cover then cover the class to trap the smoke before adding the ice cube and pouring your whiskey. Not to mention since I had the s'more it was topped off with a torched marshmallow. Yum! I ended up buying a bottle of their bourbon whiskey, a shot glass and a t-shirt. I could not have asked for a better experience! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who likes whiskey, vodka, or gin. They have great knowledgeable bartenders that are very friendly and helpful, not to mention a wide section of drinks that you can choose from. read more

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I'll preface by saying I'm not a fan of whiskey. I loved this distillery. I got the smoked s'mores cocktail and it was soooo tasty. Nice and sweet and went so well with the freshly toasted marshmallow my bartender made for me. The environment is so relaxed and people were so intrigued by my cocktail that they ended up ordering it too. Very happy with my experience here! read more

Silverback Distillery - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

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I so wanted to like this olace. I had heard so many good things. While they were very nice and very proud that their master distiller is female...the bourbon doesn't really have much going for it. The fact it won so many awards is a little puzzlung and makes me wonder who they competed against. The staff were super nice. A flight tasting includes their Vodka and Gin aling with the Bourbon and Rye. I admit that the honey bourbon wasnt bad. I'd still say stop off here...at least to have something to use as comparison. read more

Young sourced whiskey (bartender said from Indiana - so probably 2year old MGP) that tasted like grain ethanol. I tried the rye, honey rye and 4 grain. Uncomfortable bar stools. Paid to a see a comedy show there with unfunny comedians. The place itself was nice, and the staff were accommodating. Kind of located in the middle of nowhere. See in a few years if they get to actually age their whiskey if they manage to stay in business. read more

Their smoked s'more was the BEST bourbon drink I've ever had, well, yet :). The bartender was super friendly, and Silverback was the best service we'd had all weekend. They have a nice patio outside and it was a gorgeous day so we sat outside for a while. Their prices were fair and none of my friend's drinks that I tasted were bad. read more

Stopped in here for a tasting and had a really good time. The staff was pleasant and helpful. Their 151 proof shot was quite strong. If you're in the area you should stop by. read more

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I have never in my life been treated this terrible. Came in with a group of girls told we had to go upstairs, no worries. No bathroom upstairs and went to go downstairs to use the restroom told I could not be down stairs to pee!!! while I noticed several people who were summoned upstairs as well at the downstairs bar. Do not go here. Rude rude rude people. Bach parties stay away!! read more

Bartender Tasha earns 5 stars! The drinks, the conversation, the music! Thank you for making our day

Best distillery experience. Worth a trip to the area! The staff was so fun. I was the DD so I only had 1.5 of my allowed 3oz (they limit you to 3oz total but will make 0.5oz drinks!) but the bartender continued to make me drink with no alcohol in them so I could keep enjoy with my friend! Highly recommend! read more

What a great find. And by that, I mean the business, the people, and of course the product. Situated halfway between our home in Raleigh and family in MD, we have a perfect excuse to make a quick stop and stretch our legs. They offer both tastings AND cocktails. I'm not a gin or vodka guy, but both blew me away. I really could make a great tonic or martinis with either. The rye is very good. The bourbon is great. The honey rye is amazing. The bartenders are great, friendly, and knowledgeable. We met the owners on our last visit. Just great people and I'm very happy to support small business owners. read more

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Drinks were great. We had an old fashioned and a s'mores. They smoked the glasses in front of us. Only thing that left a bad taste was when we walked up the the male bartender, the first thing he said to me was "no kids at the bar". We already planned on sitting outside and I had my five month old in a carrier. I didn't sit down or anything, just waked up to order. He could have said hello first instead of being rude first thing. read more

My GPS took me on a different route that led me past this distillery. Quaint in size but don't let that fool you. You won't be disappointed! read more

Silverback Distillery - Honey Bourbon in smoked glass - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

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The dude in here was so sweet and knowledgeable. He explained all about each one of the spirits they sold. The place had the coolest tee shirts too! He gave us an awesome demonstration on how they smoke the glasses for the different types of drinks they make. He explained why the labels still say Blackback instead of silverback. It's all about the age of the liquor. Not aged enough yet to carry the Silver title. I think he said 7 yrs. They haven't been open that long yet. It was close to closing and he was so patient and told us all about the distillery and the awards they recently won in New Orleans. My girlfriend bought a bottle of the delicious honey bourbon. Yum. Will come back for a Silverback when it's time!! read more

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We had a amazing time in the mountains. A very welcoming place. Good vibes & music was good. Great distillery, the drinks were very smooth with no bite. We will be back. read more

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Should have easily been a 5 star review, b/c the spirts were pretty good but, you earn a 3 star rating when staff makes you feel like you are a "burden" to try their spirits. That's what happened to us. Our server completely ignored us, spent more time chatting with friends and before we knew it, pulled a 1/2 shot that we had still had left off of the bar as we were wrapping up our tasting. Hopefully our experience is not the norm ( I doubt it was, but that's what happened ) read more

5/5 Stars. Recommended. I truly enjoy their spirits. WHY DOESN'T THE VA ABC SELL THEIR BOURBON?! These ladies are master distillers. Truly. Fun store front at the distillery... focused on selling merch ... but that's OK. Stop by if you are near by - if you enjoy whiskey and/or cocktails - you will be delighted. read more

This place is AWESOME!!! They have a great tasting menu and allow their tastings in 3 different styles; neat, small version of one of their signature cocktails, or a regular size cocktail. They have a drink for every taste, pick your poison; vodka, gin, whiskey, or honey rye whiskey. You are bound to find a cocktail that fits your taste. I was a big fan of the vodka and the honey rye, but out of those 2 the true star was the honey rye! My friend and I ended up BOTH buying bottles of the honey rye. It was excellent! Great honey flavor!!!! The staff is amazing and treat like they have known you for years.... The prices in decent too, and the variety you are able to try makes it worth the trip! A must try if you enjoy local spirits and you're in the area!!! read more

Silverback Distillery - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

Craft distillery. Good selection of cocktails. Friendly and helpful staff. Limited food menu, but goes well with drinks.

First time to any distillery. They were very friendly and informative of al they had to offer. Shared about the mother and daughter team that owned the distillery. The atmosphere was full of energy and a nice crowd in and out on a Saturday afternoon. Two tv's showing the games( for those who care). They offered Gin, Vodka, Whiskey and shine!! Can't wait till we come back to the area to visit again read more

Silverback Distillery - Sign - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

A wonderful stop along the 151 route. While the scenery isn't fantastic since it's right off of the road, the liquors and spirits served here are simply wonderful. Silverback produces bourbon, whiskey, gin, and vodka. Obviously, right off the bat, Silverback's honey rye whiskey is one of their most famous and award-winning whiskeys. It's a great entry whiskey for people who are not used to sipping whiskeys because it is sweet enough to diminish the usual burn of a rye whiskey, but is not overly sweet. However to the typical whiskey connoisseur, it is definitely quite sweet, even compared to bourbons. Their other selection of liquors is quite good as well. Their gin is a great gin to simply sip on, but also mixes wonderfully. They also serve a whiskey barrel-aged gin which is interesting as well; not my favorite, but a unique offering. Silverback also has this gnarly moonshine that kicks you in the mouth if you were to drink it straight, but mixes surprisingly well. Be careful though, it's obviously quite strong. In choosing your flights, you can choose from doing straight pours or cocktail tastings. Obviously each person is limited to a maximum of 3.5 oz of liquor per day (damn you, Virginia), but it is still enough to play with to get a variety. The cocktails they serve here are also pretty amazing, ranging from creative variations on mules to drink where they smoke the glass and a marshmallow! Overall, a great stop along 151. Highly recommended. read more

Definitely a must on any tour of Virginia distilleries! The customer service was wonderful and the different products were delicious.

Silverback was incredible. A little higher in terms of prices than what we were used but the quality was excellent and could hold up to the prices! The Honey Rye Whiskey was spectacular. What really made this place outstanding was the cocktails they craft. I had a S'mores one that is probably one of the top best drinks I have ever experienced. Whiskey, marshmallow, chocolate, smoked infused- that is every single of my buzzwords placed into one drink. Wow, yeah, just go. You will not be disappointed. As I am typing this I now wish I was back in the area so I could get another cocktail. read more

Got cut off from drinking too much.. but their drinks are so good! Especially the shock the monkey coffee drink!

The drinks are AMAZING and it is dog friendly. Major league home run! Trying to figure what liquors to take home.

Okay. Their Smoked Old Fashioned tasted like sex by a campfire in early September under a sky full of stars. You're welcome. read more

Silverback Distillery - Smoked Old Fashioned. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

TJ, dad and I visited Silverback Distillery about a month ago. We took the RV for a much needed rainy day joy ride and found this place. Really clean, quaint and relaxed.. the decor was noteworthy.. but now for the good stuff.. the alcohol.. we tried vodka, gin, and something else. I can't rememver the name I think corn mash??.. it like a moonshine type drink.. it tasted like tequila to me.. they served each flight in a shot style and also in mixers.. we had a couple of each.. my favorite was the "Strange Monkey Gin".. I bought a bottle and a shirt.. that read "everyone needs a little strange". This is small distillery with good people that make good conversation. I don't think they currently offer food.. But definitely check it out. read more

Silverback Distillery - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

We went here for part of a friends 30th celebration and were not sure what to expect, but wish we could've stayed longer! I did not catch our bartenders name but I wish we did because she was excellent- from recommendations to information. All of the mixed drinks we had were delicious. I was able to have Shock The Monkey, Butterbeer, and the Cozy Old Fashioned. All 10/10! read more

Silverback Distillery - Shock The Monkey - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

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The atmosphere wasn't what I expected. They're more about rules and policing people rather than serving. I understand they have a 3oz rule which is great but when an employee runs after someone who's trying to order a drink and stops them from purchasing (mind you this person hadn't had a drop prior) it's a bit much for me. 2nd maybe they want to visit the food and safety standards for proper food handling. The bar tender had ridiculously long fake nails with embellishments on them and kept adjusting her mask. I didn't see her wash her hands before she started making drinks either . Very off putting. Needless to say I didn't make any purchases because of the poor behavior of the staff and unclean bar tenders. If you're looking for a good time, keep looking the environment here is two thumbs down . Won't ever be back. read more

We loved our visit here to this very new distillery. Favourite thing we tasted was the Blackback Honey Rye. Check it out! read more

We've only ever been to one other distillery, but we really enjoyed our visit and tasting here. They have strict limits to how many ounces you can try (3 oz) but we really liked hearing about their startup, where they've come from and we're they're heading. Worth a visit if you're on Nelson County Rte. 151. For sure! read more

Silverback Distillery - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Afton, Virginia

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Rude bartenders and servers Unorganized service For example, asked for whiskey on the rocks. When I received the drink it was a single shot. I told the server I ordered whiskey on the rocks. Instead of just going and adding a full pour, some ice, and charging me more money for the drink that was ordered. They refuse and give me the shot. (Rude) The bartender hearing a whiskey on the rocks doesn't make the drink that was asked for. If that drink isn't something they can do, then they should be informing the customer it is not available. (Unorganized) Just taking a second to communicate with the customer would have prevented both of these incidents from occurring. read more

Wham bam thank u ma'am. Very rushed experience and very expensive booze. Not going to miss this place

I didn't know it was possible to take the fun out of a distillery. I'd rather go to the dentist.

I chose this place because of the mother-daughter team and female-run business. The staff were friendly and I enjoyed the honey rye and their gin. I've even ordered more after my visit. read more