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June 9th, 2026
Village Garage Distillery Wins Big at
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Hi All,
I'm very happy to announce that VGD had a great showing at this year's San Francisco World Spirits Competition. We walked away with a gold medal for our Village House Gin and a silver for Village Bourbon. This comes only a few months after our Bonfire smoked maple bourbon was officially recognized at the State House for taking home silver last year.
SFWSC is the most prestigious competition of its type worldwide, and medaling there is a real honor. It puts VGD alongside the best distilleries globally.
It goes without saying that none of this could happen without you, our customers, for your support over the past years. Vermont boasts a very competitive and vibrant spirits landscape with some of the best small producers in the country, and we're deeply honored that you choose us.
I'd also like to give a special shout out to our Head Distiller Todd and the rest of our team for all their hard work and many late nights. The nature of distilling means that nothing good happens quickly, and it can take months and years of planning, patience, and effort to see results. Our success at SFWSC says as much about the caliber of our team as it does about the quality of our spirits.
Cheers, Matt
June 1st, 2026
Bar & Restaurant Highlight
Putnam's Vineyard - White River Junction
This month, we’re focused on Putnam's Vineyard (or P's as they’re affectionately known), in downtown White River Junction, just a few minutes' drive from the New Hampshire border.
A local wine bar and hang out spot, Putnam’s has a reputation for their high-quality food, delicious craft drinks, and commitment to sourcing local for everything they do.
P’s likes to say that they pour a story into every glass. They seek out not only exceptional flavors, but also the people and businesses behind them. Because of this, P’s doesn’t maintain a traditional back bar, relying instead on a curated cocktail program designed to showcase local producers and regional flavors. The decision to feature Village Vodka was made with respect to its local origins, and P's beautifully balanced cocktails were designed to take advantage of its smooth, rounded mouthfeel and subtle complexity.
P’s uses Village Garage Vodka for almost all of their classic craft vodka cocktails, so it’s hard to pick just one. Instead, here are three of our favorites.
French Martini
Village Garage Vodka, pineapple juice, and
raspberry Liqueur.
Espresso Martini
Village Garage Vodka, coffee cream liqueur, a fresh espresso shot made with locally roasted beans from Middlebury's Little Seed Coffee Roasters, and a dash of Silloway Farm
maple syrup.
Dirty Vodka Martini
Village Garage Vodka, Santa Barbara olives, and olive brine
May 1st, 2026
Bar & Restaurant Highlight
The Archives - Burlington
This month, we'd like to recognize our friends at The Archives, one of Burlington’s most fun and innovative bars. Part nostalgia trip, part neighborhood favorite, The Archives combines vintage arcade games and some of the best bespoke cocktails in New England, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients, high-quality spirits, and unique flavors.
You'll find not one, but two delicious cocktails featuring VGD spirits on their menu, including the current best seller, so make sure to stop by College St. and check them both out! Thanks to The Archives for helping us tell the VGD story!
ANOTHER VODKA DRINK
Village Vodka, blackberry, blood orange, lemon, soda
Bike swap
Village Gin, Aperol, grapefruit, lemon, strawberry, prosecco
March 18th, 2026
VGD honored by the state legislature
Recently, Matt, Doug, and Tom headed up to Montpelier for a reading of H.C.R.187, a House concurrent resolution congratulating VGD on “winning a silver medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Bonfire.”
Click here to read the proclamation in full.
Sponsored by our amazing local reps, Will Greer and Mary Morrissey, this proclamation was a huge honor for the distillery, and a testament to just how much our silver medal means to the wider Vermont food and drink scene.
The team were congratulated in person by Governor Phil Scott. They also met with Wendy Knight, Commissioner at the Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery, and with Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers.
Check out the photos below—and if you haven’t had a chance to try Bonfire yet, it’s available in 802Spirits stores across Vermont, in stores in New York and Massachusetts, and online through our website.
June 9th, 2025
Village Garage Distillery wins Silver Medal at San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The award recognizes the Vermont made spirit’s exceptional craftsmanship and dedication to sourcing and distilling locally.
Bennington, Vermont, July 15, 2025–Village Garage Distillery is proud to announce that its Bonfire smoked maple bourbon has been awarded a Silver Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). Renowned for its rigorous blind tasting evaluation process, the SFWSC is one of the most respected spirits competitions in the world. This recognition places Bonfire bourbon - a small batch spirit crafted in southern Vermont - among the finest bourbons globally.
Handcrafted in Bennington, Vermont, Bonfire bourbon features Vermont grains and crisp Vermont water, as well as a kiss of Vermont smoked maple syrup to give it subtle smokiness on the palate and touch of maple on the finish. The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most prestigious and longest-standing in the industry, honors only the highest quality spirits. This Silver Medal recognizes Bonfire’s exceptional craftsmanship and unique flavor profile.
“As a company founded by multi-generational Vermonters, we set out to honor our state with a maple bourbon that reflects Vermont's values” said Matt Cushman, co-founder and owner of Village Garage Distillery. “To see our Bonfire bourbon recognized on a global stage is a tremendous honor. This award affirms our commitment to sourcing locally and distilling in small batches to satisfy the most discerning bourbon drinker's taste.”
“We believe in supporting local farms and maple producers and we think you can taste that commitment in every sip of Bonfire” added Distiller Todd Pinsonneault.
Bonfire's name evokes a quintessential Vermont scene of family and friends sitting together in a circle, sharing stories while enjoying the warmth of a campfire.