Stories

Discover the Stories...

behind Florida’s award-winning farm-to-bottle distillery, as our master distiller, Matthew Bagdanovich, shares the craft and tradition of Southern distilling.

The Distiller's Story

After learning the art of distillation abroad, Matthew returned to his home state to establish a business rooted in local agriculture and traditional methods. The distillery emphasizes the use of locally sourced ingredients ensuring that their products are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. This commitment to quality and community has led to the creation of unique spirits that reflect the essence of Florida’s terroir.

Distilling in the South

After an international career in insurance and developing a passion for distillation while living abroad, Bagdanovich returned to Florida to establish the distillery. The distillery emphasizes using locally sourced ingredients, such as Florida fruits for their vodkas and tangerines for their Francis Marion brandy. They also produce unique spirits like an oat-based whiskey, which involves smoking oats to soften them, and a red absinthe colored with Florida hyacinth.

HighBall by Creative Loafing

Creative Loafing’s third annual HighBall event, held on January 24, 2019, at Nova 535 in St. Petersburg, showcased 20 of Tampa Bay’s top bartenders competing to create the best craft cocktails across four categories: whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum. Attendees sampled and voted on their favorite concoctions, with winners featured in Creative Loafing’s Cocktail Issue and at the Best of the Bay Awards Party.

Hear it from the master himself

Banner of Matthew Bagdanovich, our master distiller, standing in our tiki bar area of the distillery

Experience the story of Fish Hawk Spirits firsthand with a guided tour led by our master distiller, Matthew Bagdanovich. Learn how this award-winning farm-to-bottle distillery crafts its unique spirits using locally sourced ingredients and traditional methods.

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