Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1543312
72 maconmagazine.com | February/March 2026 "We came up with the name Longleaf, as in longleaf pine trees, to reflect our area, community, and our resurging downtown." tasting room. On the other hand, spirits like Evergreen Alpine Liqueur, Alba Thistle Liqueur, and Fernet #4 Bitter Liqueur have their roots and flavor profiles from other lands selected to please area tastes while stretching their palates. "Some of our more obscure liqueurs, like the Alba or Evergreen or Fernet, are very niche, but I have an idea of what will sell here and what's worth introducing," Robinson said. As a licensed distiller, Longleaf can only sell its wares on-premises in its tasting room-cocktail bar, where light food fare is also served. Bottles may be sold there, and mixology classes are offered there. To retailers, restaurants, bars, and other establishments across Georgia, Longleaf products are distributed by Prime Wine & Spirits. Doors behind Longleaf's cocktail bar lead to the distillery, where Robinson's experimentation happens and spirits are manufactured in two massive stills — one a classic copper-pot still, and the other a more modern high-pressure still. Some spirits are stored in barrels, others are in modern containers as they're on their way to the downstairs bottling facility. Fortunately, on most Fridays and Saturdays, tours are given through the distillery, providing a deep look into what goes into making Longleaf spirits. Participants walk away with a surprisingly broad understanding of the age-old process of distilling grains, ingredients, and herbals into spirits. For $15, a special tasting session is offered as a sampling of some of Longleaf's core and specialty spirits. Jeff Wood is Longleaf's general manager, tasting room manager, and most frequent tour guide. He and Thompson are also the instructors of Longleaf's mixology classes. As you would imagine, on tours Wood offers a wealth of information on Longleaf's distilling operations, but there are also tidbits here and there on the history of spirits and how those relate to Longleaf, information from Wood's own knowledge, and from Robinson, who Wood calls "the real history buff" of the enterprise. For instance, he explains things like why the term Navy is used for some spirits.