Bellemara Distillery is NJ’s Newest Award Winning Distillery

A beautiful distillery located on a farm in Hillsborough…that’s all I need to hear and I’m there. Bellemara Distillery is NJ’s newest distillery (and New Jersey’s First Single Malt Distillery) and they’re already award winners!

The word Bellemara roughly translates to “beauty of the sea”. Their Co-Founder and Head Distiller, Camden, had first-hand experience with the sea during his years in the Navy. He dreamed of how he wanted to create something that captured the calm and peaceful feeling that we all get when staring out over the ocean and the seed for Bellemara was planted.

Whisky has long been Camden’s favorite drink and he has a deep respect for the science and traditions behind it. He moved to Scotland for a year to learn all about how whisky is made. During his time there, Camden saw an opportunity to combine traditional Scottish production techniques with American distilling and aging methods to make new, unique, and flavorful spirits.

Camden’s co-founder is his wife, Christina, who is also their head of marketing. As Bellemara was turning from an idea to reality, she studied the ingredients and techniques that different distilleries around the world use to create their spirits and became passionate about spreading this knowledge to others, believing wholeheartedly that there is a whisky out there for everyone.

Nestled on the picturesque farmland at Carriage Farm in Hillsborough, NJ, their location features the distillery where their spirits are made as well as a two-story tasting room. In the tasting room, they specialize in craft cocktails featuring their spirits.

They proudly make their cocktail ingredients in-house from scratch, such as their syrups and tinctures. Some customer favorite cocktails are their Botanical Gin & Tonics and their Hot Buttered Barley.

They also offer cocktail classes, guided tours, and tastings and their space is available for private events.

They have a unique approach to making spirits that blend traditional production techniques from Scotland with distinctly American innovations. All of their products are made from grain to glass from malted barley. Why malted barley? “Because we love the flavor profiles it produces. Malted barley has a long history of being used in whisky as well as beer and can produce a range of flavors, most commonly described as nutty with a hint of sweetness.”

Why grain to glass? “We believe that to create a product that is truly distinctive, the whole process from mashing, fermenting, distilling, maturing, and bottling should be done by the company whose name is on the bottle and all the alcohol should originate at that distillery. Though it’s more complicated, expensive, and time-consuming than the common practice of buying, blending, and bottling bulk spirits, we think it’s worth it to deliver a truly unique product that we can proudly stand behind.”

And their cocktails are beautiful to look at! This is their Herbaceous Gin & Tonic made with Single Malt Gin and Fever Tree Tonic, Thai basil, star anise, jalapeño, cucumber, lime, and house-made lemongrass tincture.⁠

And this is their Fruity Gin & Tonic featuring their Single Malt Gin, Fever Tree Tonic, mint, blueberry, strawberry, orange, raspberry, and house-made hibiscus syrup.⁠

Bellemara currently makes two products. Their Single Malt Spirit is an unaged, clear spirit made from 100% malted barley. At 40% ABV it is a perfect cocktail mixer or can be enjoyed on its own. The spirit is double distilled and then carbon filtered for a smooth, yet flavorful profile. On the nose, there are hints of tropical fruit, nuts, and hay. The finish is warm and earthy with a touch of caramel. A great example of the purest expression of malt spirits.

It recently won the Gold Medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022.

Their Single Malt Gin has a bright Juniper and orange nose and a gentle and herbal finish. Made from 100% malted barley, the gin retains the beautiful malt flavors while highlighting the delightful flavors of the juniper berries. Bottled at 45% ABV it complements just about any cocktail made with london-dry style gins.

It recently won the Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the largest and one of the most influential spirit competitions in the world. 70 judges from around the world judged roughly 5,000 spirits this year.

“As a new craft distillery that just opened our doors a few months ago, we are thrilled that BOTH of our spirits were recognized in their respective categories.”⁠ ⁠ A gold medal is for spirits that are near the pinnacle of achievement; these products set the standard for their categories. A silver medal is for outstanding spirits that show refinement, finesse, and complexity; these winners are among the best examples of their categories. ⁠ ⁠

And if you need any more motivation to visit, there’s rescue pup Islay (who loves belly rubs) as well as an outdoor patio.

For more information visit their Website, Facebook, and Instagram. They are located at 2 Clerico Lane, Building 5, Hillsborough, NJ 08844.