Awards
2024
Maine Distillery of the Year
NY International Spirits Competition
Single Malt Whisky
Gold Medal: NY International Spirits Competition
Single Malt Whisky
Gold Medal: The Fifty Best Spirits Competition
2019
Platinum Agave
Best In Category: Seattle International Spirits Competition
Double Gold: Seattle International Spirits Competition
Reposado Agave
Gold Medal: Seattle International Spirits Competition
Anejo Agave
Gold Medal: Seattle International Spirits Competition
2017
Small Barrel Rum
Gold Medal: The Fifty Best Spirits Competition
Ranked #4 Nationally: USA TODAY People’s Choice Award
Gin
Double Gold Medal: Seattle International Spirits Competition
Vodka
Gold Medal: The Fifty Best Spirits Competition
2015
Small Barrel Rum
Silver Medal: (ADI) American Distilling Institute
3rd Place: (ACSA) American Craft Spirits Association
Small Barrel Bourbon
2nd Place: (ACSA) American Craft Spirits Association
White Whisky
Best of Category: (ADI) American Distilling Institute
Silver Medal: (ADI) American Distilling Institute
1st Place:(ACSA) American Craft Spirits Association
White Rum
Silver Medal: (ADI) American Distilling Institute
2014
White Whisky
Bronze Medal: The Washington Cup Spirits Competition
Small Barrel Bourbon
Bronze Medal: The Washington Cup Spirits Competition
Press Coverage
2024
Press Release April 2024
Wiggly Bridge Distillery in York wins gold medal for whiskey
SeacoastOnline March 2024
A Legacy Handcrafted: The Story of Wiggly Bridge Distillery
Bourbon Blenders May 2024
September 2024
December 2024
The Boozy Book Fair with Booktenders and Wiggly Bridge community event
2023
60 Best Things to Do in Maine: Ultimate Maine Bucket List (2023)
New England With Love
9/5/2023
Wiggly Bridge Unveils New England Single Malt Whisky
March 2023
2022
Wiggly Bridge Releases Whisky from Orphan Barrel
Craft Spirits Magazine
1/26/2022
10 Must-Visit Restaurants in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Boston Magazine
1/18/2022
2021
10 to Watch: Amanda Woods advises young professionals to get involved
Seacoast Online
9/29/2021
Wiggly Bridge Distillery Dodges 14k Bullet Still Under Gun in Pandemic
Seacoast Online
1/7/2021
Breaking Bourbon
1/5/2021
2020
The Whiskey Wash
11/16/2020
York distillery turns sugar into sanitizer for area hospitals
Seacoast Online
4/15/2020
UMaine teams with health care providers, brewers to solve pandemic shortages
Maine Biz
4/15/2020
Maine Acts of Kindness: Craft beer becomes hospital-grade hand sanitizer
Central Maine
4/15/2020
Stuck at home? Instagram to the rescue!
Portland Press Herald
4/15/2020
Bar Guide: Basic quarantini recipes for beginner mixologists
Portland Press Herald
4/15/2020
Seacoast Lately
1/9/2020
2019
Celebrated Living – In The Holiday Spirits
American Airlines Celebrated Living Ink Publishing
11/4/2019
Maine Brew Guide
5/24/2019
Distilling.com
5/24/2019
TheGinIsIn.com Reviews
5/24/2019
New England Living 6 Picks: York, Maine
New England Living
5/24/2019
Dream Vacation Magazine
3/25/2019
Liquor.com
2/4/2019
2018
Weekly Pour: Lazy River at the Blue Mermaid
Fosters
12/8/2018
Press Releases
Boozy Book Fair Collaboration with BookTenders
December 2024
Remember the magic of elementary school book fairs, where rows of books sparked imagination and adventure? Now picture that nostalgia reimagined for grown-ups with cocktails or mocktails, community, and a cause! On December 12, from 6-8 PM, Wiggly Bridge Distillery and The Booktenders are teaming up for the very first Boozy Book Fair, a one-of-a-kind event blending books, beverages, and holiday cheer.
Note: Registration is required as space is limited.
As two beloved local businesses just steps apart, Wiggly Bridge Distillery and The Booktenders share more than just a Route 1 address—they share a passion for bringing the York community together. Inspired by growing interest in boozy book fairs and encouraged by local recommendations, these neighbors knew a collaboration would be a fun way to bring the community together.
“We both love the idea of creating a space where people can enjoy something they love, whether that’s a great book or a perfectly crafted cocktail/mocktail,” said Amanda Woods from Wiggly Bridge Distillery. “This is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season while supporting local authors, the YCSA food pantry and get some inspiration for what to serve at your holiday event.”
What to expect
● Books & Local Authors: Browse a curated selection of books, meet local authors such as Jody Clark and Diane Kane, and get your books signed—perfect for gifting (or keeping for yourself!).
● Cocktails & Mocktails: Sip on a signature cocktail or mocktail crafted by the award-winning Wiggly Bridge Distillery team. Your $10 ticket includes one complimentary drink.
● Do Good, Feel Good: This event is also a food drive! Bring along non-perishable food items to benefit the York Community Service Association and help make the holidays brighter for families in need. Tickets are $10 and include entry and one complimentary drink, but if you bring 10 non-perishable food items for the York Food Pantry, you’ll enjoy free entry along with a complimentary drink.
● Friendly Competition: Want to help make an even bigger impact? The attendee who donates the most non-perishable items will win a private batch blending clinic for up to 4 people at Wiggly Bridge Distillery—over a $350 value! Learn directly from the founder about the craftsmanship and care that goes into each batch of their award-winning spirits. The runner up will receive a $100 gift card to The Booktenders.
● Community Vibes: Reconnect with neighbors, support local businesses, and enjoy the festive atmosphere that makes York so special. Tickets are just $10, and space is limited, so don’t wait to secure your spot. If you plan to donate 10 non-perishable food items for the Food Pantry as your ticket, please let us know in advance so we can add your name to the guest list! Tickets include entry, one cocktail or mocktail, and access to this unique event that’s part nostalgia, part celebration, and all heart.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Wiggly Bridge Distillery,” said Michelle Clarke at The Booktenders. “This is more than just an event; it’s a chance to shop small, support local authors, and give back to the community—all while having a really fun night out.”
When: December 12, 2024 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Where: Wiggly Bridge Distillery, York, Maine | 441 US Route 1
Tickets: $10 (includes one drink) Or bring 10 non-perishable food items to benefit the York Food Pantry. Whether you’re ticking off your holiday shopping list, catching up with friends, or simply looking for a reason to get out and celebrate, the Boozy Book Fair has something for everyone.
For tickets and more information, visit EventBrite or follow Wiggly Bridge Distillery and The Booktenders on social media. Let’s make this December 12th one for the books!
About The Booktenders
The Booktenders is York’s local bookstore, offering hand picked selections for book lovers of all ages, as well as a hub for community and creativity.
About Wiggly Bridge Distillery
Wiggly Bridge Distillery is a family-owned and operated small craft distillery in York, Maine, producing award-winning spirits with small-batch techniques and big passion.
Wiggly's Lost Barrel - Special Project #1
January 28, 2022 —
WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY LOSES BARREL #303 AND BECOMES INSPIRATION FOR PROJECT #1 OF THE DAVES’ SPECIAL BARREL PROJECT. SELLS OUT WITHIN A WEEK.
York, Maine – JAN 11 – Wiggly Bridge Distillery, a local family owned and operated business that has earned a reputation for their award-winning, small batch spirits, has added another spirit to it’s product line up that came from barrel #303 and has quite the story of how it became.
Released on January 11th Wiggly fans showed up and this 118 bottle single barrel batch sold out within a week.
Below is the story:
The Orphan Barrel
We lost this barrel for a while. We think the bourbon gods had something to do with it because by losing it, it has become one of the most delicious, smooth, and unbelievable barrels that has come out of Wiggly Bridge Distillery.
How does a barrel get “lost”? Here’s the story.
Barrel #303 had an entry proof of 107.2 and is made from our mash bill of 58% corn, 37% rye, and 5% malted barley. Two years went by from the date we filled it (6/2/17) and it was in a grouping of barrels that would be our next batch of Small Barrel Bourbon to be dumped in 2019.
When we tasted barrel #303 at that time, to our disappointment, it was disgusting, bitter and with a lot of heat. Not pleasurable at all. So, we didn’t include it in that batch and decided to skip over it and leave it out on the second floor of the rick house.
For the next few months or so we got tired of tripping over it. A slot opened up in the ricks and we just put it there to get it out of the way. A month or two later we were barreling rum and we needed that slot that we had temporarily put barrel #303. Remembering it’s unpleasant taste we pushed the barrel all the way to the back slot and we forgot about it.
Another two years went by which is the period of time that we age our small barrel rum and we pulled all the barrels to make our next batch of rum. Barrel #303 came up to be tasted and to our surprise that barrel was not rum! We had to go back and pull the logbooks to find out what it was and to our surprise it was 131 proof and the taste was unbelievable and it was extremely smooth. Pure delight to say the least.
It was so incredible that we decided it needed it’s own bottle separate from our Small Barrel Bourbon batches – so would begin The Daves’ Special Barrel Projects. We decided to call this one an orphan barrel (as the story goes) and would be Project #1 of the Daves’ Special Projects series. Project #1 is bottled at 130.55 proof.
The label has significance and if you follow us on social media you see that we use blue painters tape to label and make notes behind the scenes. We wanted to incorporate it in our bottle design to bring you as close to our behind the scenes process as possible. I guess you could call it Wiggly Bridge’s Blue Label – small batch style.
We wanted this bottle to be something that brings you as close as you could be to being in the rick house with the Daves’ sampling our barrels without actually being here with us.
It is unfiltered so if you see a bit of char from the barrel in there it’s supposed to be there. So we guess you could say that barrel #303 is actually a barrel in a bottle.
About Wiggly Bridge Distillery:
The idea to make craft spirits all started when David Woods and his son, Dave joked “let’s make our own whisky” over a family dinner. Since then the father-son team have taught themselves how to fabricate their own copper stills by watching YouTube videos and developed craft spirits based on techniques they learned from reading books from the 1800s. From hobby to obsession to profession, the Woods family has created award-winning spirits, which include their small barrel bourbon, white whisky, small barrel rum, white rum, vodka and gin with an agave release in the next few months. The first Wiggly Bridge Distillery opened in 2012 in York Beach, Maine and in 2016 the family added a second, larger distillery on Route 1 in York.
Follow Wiggly Bridge Distillery:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WigglyBridgeDistillery
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Wigglybridge
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wigglybridgedistillery/
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/wigglybridge/boards/
World Whisky Day 500th Barrel Filling Celebration
April 25, 2018
For Immediate Release:
World Whisky Day 500th Barrel Filling Celebration
Wiggly Bridge Distillery, 441 US ROUTE 1 York Maine, May 19th 12-5pm
YORK, MAINE, May 19, 2018 — Not only is May 19th World Whisky Day, but Wiggly Bridge Distillery will be filling their 500th barrel. A celebration is planned to commemorate this huge milestone for a small batch craft distillery in Maine. The celebration will begin at 12pm at 441 US Route 1 in York. Ticket holders will be able to sign the barrel and their name will be entered in for the chance to seal the barrel by hammering in the bung after the barrel is filled. Attendees are eligible to receive one of the first 12 bottles from the barrel when it is released in 2022. Along with celebratory cocktails, the celebration includes rolling the barrel to the Wiggly Bridge Rickhouse where the barrel will maturate 4 years. Join us for our barrel house dedication and ribbon cutting with a celebratory bourbon toast.
As Wiggly Bridge Distillery is about to fill it’s 500th barrel, they reflect back on their dedication and hard work to get to this point since the idea to start the distillery was a dream and passion 6 short years ago. When father and son Dave and David Woods took on the challenge to start Wiggly Bridge Distillery their vision was to craft quality hand made spirits. Not only are they living their vision, but the distillery has quintupled production of their award winning spirits and have expanded to other New England regional states. Their craft is self-taught and this duo is the epitome of hard working, passionate New Englanders now driven by spirits.
To join in on the celebration, tickets can be purchased at Wiggly Bridge Distillery’s website or on facebook: www.WigglyBridgeDistillery/events or https://www.facebook.com/events/180827732730182/
Celebration schedule:
12:00pm-3:00pm: Barrel Signing/cocktails/food.
3:00pm-3:15pm: Join us as we fill barrel number 500.
3:30pm: Roll the barrel to the new Wiggly Rick House (bring gloves) 4:00pm: Bourbon Toast and barrel House dedication
5:00-7:00pm: Live Music
About the Company
The idea to make craft spirits all started when David Woods and his son, Dave joked “let’s make our own whisky” over a family dinner. Since then the father-son team have taught themselves how to fabricate their own copper stills by watching YouTube videos and developed craft spirits based on techniques they learned from reading books from the 1800s. From hobby to obsession to profession, the Woods family has created award-winning spirits, which include their small barrel bourbon, white whisky, small barrel rum, white rum, vodka and gin with an agave release in the next few months. The first Wiggly Bridge Distillery opened in 2012 in York Beach, Maine and in 2016 the family added a second, larger distillery on Route 1 in York.
For more information:
Amanda Woods
207-752-1688 [email protected] www.WigglyBridgeDistillery.com
Barrel Aged Coffee - A Spirited Collaboration
April 25, 2018
Barrel Aged Coffee- A spirited Collaboration
York, Maine – April 6th – Wiggly Bridge Distillery a local family owned and operated business that has earned a reputation for their award-winning, small batch spirits and local coffee roaster Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters, also a local family owned business have joined forces to combine coffee beans and bourbon barrels.
In a neighborhood collaboration to combine individual passions for small batch bourbon and coffee these two successful local family business owners are excited to give you something unlike you’ve experienced on the seacoast.
“At Wiggly Bridge Distillery we enjoy working with local businesses and this idea was exciting. A long time ago, coffee was actually traded and shipped across oceans using barrels, so this really isn’t something new. What is unique is that we are aging the green (unroasted) beans in a used bourbon barrel. Green beans are very porous and pick up the aroma and flavors in the barrel, it’s really awesome” says Amanda Woods, director of Marketing for Wiggly Bridge Distillery.
Using Anthony’s green (unroasted) Peruvian Organic beans they were put in a used 30 gallon Wiggly Bridge Bourbon Barrel (white oak barrel). The green beans were aged in the barrel over time with the barrel being turned every now and then.
“We originally tried a small batch of coffee in a smaller barrel, we weren’t quite sure if the end product would be any good and didn’t want to go all-in on an unknown result. We emptied the smaller barrel and handed it off to Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters to do their thing. The result was a unique coffee with distinct flavor notes. Mark and I decided to move forward with aging a larger quantity” remarks Dave Woods, founder of Wiggly Bridge Distillery.
The barrel is stored in the root cellar of the old barn where the distillery makes/ages their award-winning spirits and picks up the Angels Share (the amount of alcohol that is lost to evaporation when the liquid is being aged in oak barrels) of the barrel room. The beans are then roasted to a light espresso roast. The coffee is not going to taste like bourbon, but rather the beans will have picked up some of the flavor that the barrel(s) give off creating a VERY unique coffee and adds richness and complexity to the bean. This is NOT your typical morning cup of coffee, but one to enjoy with the company of others. “Our family traditions run deep. Our fathers knew and respected each other. Our fathers would be very proud knowing we have joined
forces to work together and give the local community something unique” says Mark Graziano, owner Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters.
The Hand Crafted Barrel Aged Coffee is now available in limited quantities at either location. Wiggly Bridge Distillery and Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters not only had a goal of creating a unique coffee, but also to create an experience. Cheers!
About Wiggly Bridge Distillery:
The idea to make craft spirits all started when David Woods and his son, Dave joked “let’s make our own whisky” over a family dinner. Since then the father-son team have taught themselves how to fabricate their own copper stills by watching YouTube videos and developed craft spirits based on techniques they learned from reading books from the 1800s. From hobby to obsession to profession, the Woods family has created award-winning spirits, which include their small barrel bourbon, white whisky, small barrel rum, white rum, vodka and gin with an agave release in the next few months. The first Wiggly Bridge Distillery opened in 2012 in York Beach, Maine and in 2016 the family added a second, larger distillery on Route 1 in York.
Follow Wiggly Bridge Distillery:
www.WigglyBridgeDistillery.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/WigglyBridgeDistillery Twitter – https://twitter.com/Wigglybridge
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/wigglybridgedistillery/ Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/wigglybridge/boards/
About Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters:
Since the beginning, Anthony’s has evolved into one of the most iconic establishments on the seacoast, housing a fully equipped and staffed kitchen that includes a state of the art Wood-Stone Fire-Deck pizza oven, and a fully staffed and equipped scratch bakery. 2014 brought a new venture. After pioneering the sale of micro roasted coffee in Southern Maine, we decided to “do it ourselves” and opened our current café and coffee roasting facility along with our new brand Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters. All our coffee is now roasted on site in small batches and sold here by the pound and in a few select retail locations on the Seacoast.
Follow Anthony’s Small Batch Roasters:
www.AnthonysSmallBatchRoasters.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/anthonysfoodshop/ Twitter – https://twitter.com/anthonys_food
Wiggly Bridge Ranked 4th Best Craft Rum
March 13, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WIGGLY BRIDGE DISTILLERY IS RANKED 4TH BEST CRAFT RUM IN THE NATION BY USA TODAY AND THE 10BEST READERS’ CHOICE AWARD CONTEST.
York, Maine – September 18, 2016 – Wiggly Bridge Distillery, a local family owned and operated business that opened the doors to their York Beach distillery just four years ago, has earned national ranking in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Award, which announced on September 16th that Wiggly Bridge Distillery Small Barrel Rum is the 4th Best Craft Rum in the nation.
Wiggly Bridge Distillery was nominated for the contest by a panel of relevant experts which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY; editors from 10Best.com; relevant expert contributors; and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties. Voting for the 10 Best Craft Distilleries was all digital and the 10Best Readers’ Choice Award contest is accessible on the 10Best.com website and is promoted across USA TODAY Travel Media Group’s digital and mobile products, as well as via social media and through Gannett media outlets, including the websites of its 81 local newspapers and 43 television stations.
Founder and distiller, David Woods started Wiggly Bridge Distillery with his son, Dave when they jokingly came up with the idea to make their own whisky at a family dinner. This is not the first time Wiggly Bridge Distillery has been nationally recognized for their spirits. Their small barrel bourbon, white whisky and small barrel rum each won the American Crafts Spirits Award in 2015.
Wiggly Bridge Distillery Small Barrel Rum is made with 100% Caribbean molasses. It is a buttery smooth white rum that has been rested in freshly dumped bourbon barrels for 6 months. The taste delivers butter up front and barrel in the middle with hints of tropical fruit and a mild bourbon-esque finish. Small Bottles (375 ml) retail for $34.99 and Large Bottles (750 ml) retail for $54.99.
Upon learning of his rum’s national ranking today, David Woods remarked, “The support from everyone who voted out there has been really remarkable. The success of Wiggly Bridge Distillery has already exceeded my wildest expectations. This national ranking is a very exciting moment for myself and family, who have all worked so hard to create the highest quality craft spirits.”
Wiggly Bridge Distillery’s national ranking for their Small Barrel Rum comes at a time when the business is expanding. This year Wiggly Bridge opened their second distillery at a barn on Route 1 in York. Wiggly Bridge expanded distribution to include Massachusetts just this month and they celebrated their presence in MA with an event at Cambridge Spirits on September 15th.
To commemorate the ranking of Wiggly Bridge Small Barrel Rum as the 4th best in the nation, fans of this local craft distillery are invited to join the Woods family to celebrate National Rum Punch Day at the Wiggly Bridge Distillery on Route 1 in York. Complimentary Caribbean bites will be served and the rum punch will be flowing with happy hour pricing of $5/glass.
About Wiggly Bridge Distillery:
The idea to make craft spirits all started when David Woods and his son, Dave joked “let’s make our own whisky” over a family dinner. Since then the father-son team have taught themselves how to fabricate their own copper stills by watching YouTube videos and developed craft spirits based on techniques they learned from reading books from the 1800s. From hobby to obsession to profession, the Woods family has created award-winning spirits, which include their small barrel bourbon, white whisky, small barrel rum, white rum, vodka and gin. The first Wiggly Bridge Distillery opened in 2012 in York Beach, Maine and in 2016 the family added a second, larger distillery on Route 1 in York. Wiggly Bridge Distillery spirits are distributed in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and are also available for online purchase in more than 40 states.
About 10Best.com:
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The core of the site’s uniqueness is its team of local travel experts: a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated. In 2012, 10Best.com averaged more than 700,000 monthly unique visitors generating approximately 28 million page views. It was acquired by USA TODAY in January of 2013.
About USA Today:
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY’s mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms. An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation – today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.6 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).