While not as distinguished as Kentucky or Tennessee, Maryland has a rich history of distilling. Frederick boasts several proud distilleries, including Dragon Distillery, which Nicole and I visited recently.
Dragon Distillery is located in an unassuming office park on the east side of town. Although the venue may seem ordinary at first, we were more than impressed once we tasted the Dragon small-batch spirits.
Dragon Distillery in Frederick, MD
A Fantasy-Themed Distillery Focused on Small-Batch Spirits
Dragon was actually the first distillery to open in Frederick in 2016. They produce a variety of distilled spirits, and the location by the Frederick airport includes a tasting room (the Dragon’s Den) that serves cocktails and food.
The name and theme of the venue are inspired by the owners’ love for fantasy books and movies, which gives the place a quirky and fun atmosphere.
Their focus is on small-batch distilling, and as we quickly discovered, they produce a diverse range of spirits, including whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, and moonshine.
Dragon Distillery: Basics
Dragon Distillery is located in an office park near the Frederick Municipal Airport. It is around the corner from The Garage Restaurant.
The facility is where they do all production and sales and includes the Dragon’s Den tasting room.
- Address: 1341 Hughes Ford Rd Suite 108, Frederick, MD 21701
- Web: Dragon: www.Dragon-Distillery.com
- Facebook: Facebook.com/DragonDistillery
- Phone: +1.301.844.6416
- Reservations: OpenTable
- Online Ordering: Toast
- Spirits Menu: Link
- Hours: Monday (Closed), Tue-Wed (10 AM – 2 PM – Sales Only), Thur-Sat (Noon-9 PM), Sun (Noon-6 PM)
- Events: Calendar
Hanging Out in the Dragon's Den
A visit to Dragon’s means quickly getting over being in an office park and entering a venue full of character. The Dragon’s Den oozes with the fantasy theme, as all the decor is full on Dungeons and Dragons.
The dim lighting sets the mood and prepares you for cocktails or spirits tasting.
The Dragon Distillery Menu
The menu put in front of you at Dragon when you arrive is rather extensive for a small-batch distillery. Depending on your mood, there are lots of directions you can go with drinks and food.
They produce a variety of spirits with lots of flavors and tasting notes. This allows them to offer a wide variety of specialty cocktails.
Nicole tried the ‘Last Joust’ made from the Dragon Joust Gin. My recommendation would be to start with your favorite spirit, then ask your server for the corresponding best cocktail.
If you’re visiting for the first time, I highly recommend doing a spirits tasting. This experience will give you a genuine feel for the different types of products being produced at Dragon’s.
Start by asking for a Tasting Card, then select four spirits to sample. Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations.
Our server, Zach, was very knowledgeable and ended up giving us wayyy more than just the four samples we requested, introducing us to various spirits he thought we should try.
Spirits That Impress
I have always believed that wineries, breweries, and distilleries can spread themselves too thin, lose focus, and ultimately diminish the overall quality of their products.
A winery with 20 different wines or a brewery offering 20 beers likely has too many options, and many of those selections may not be of high quality. It’s better to focus on a smaller range of offerings.
This was my first impression of the Dragon spirits menu.
Consider me wrong, and impressed. There are several very, very good Dragon Distillery spirits that are worthy of your home liquor shelf, especially for the price.
I won’t try to list all the spirits we tried and liked, but here are a few:
- Basilisk Bourbon. A legit bourbon great for sipping or cocktails.
- Dragon Dog Rye Whiskey. A rye that tastes very ‘Maryland’.
- Snallygaster Blended Whiskey. Maybe my favorite. A blend of the bourbon and rye. Perfectly balanced.
- FIGZilla Fig-Infused Whiskey. Don’t let the name fool you, this is a DELICIOUS sipping whiskey.
- Joust Gin. Very unique, hard to describe gin that is very different from the piney gins we usually drink.
(we are not big vodka or rum drinkers, but maybe you are!).
BBQ From Old Line Tailgate Co
During our visit, we weren’t focused on food. However, it’s worth mentioning that Dragon has partnered with Old Line Tailgate Co. to offer their BBQ menu in the tasting room.
They are currently undergoing a significant renovation to upgrade the onsite kitchen, making it easier to serve this delicious food to Dragon’s customers. We will definitely be back!
Events and Happenings at Dragon Distillery
Dragon Distillery is big on events. Check out the event calendar, especially if you are an Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (AD&D) enthusiast.
Trivia Night and Spirit Infusion Workshops are also common events on their schedule.
Overall Great place for Cocktails, Food, and Maryland Spirits
Nicole and I were so impressed with Dragon Distillery that we left with three bottles for our home collection of whiskey and gin.
If you have any interest in locally made spirits or simply enjoy a great cocktail, Dragon Distillery is a must-visit in Frederick. It’s full of character, fun, and offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy Maryland spirits.
