From Orchard to Glass in the Santa Rita Hills
Three Savory Summer Cocktails
It has been 10 years since Sarah and Marko Suput transplanted themselves and their family to the former llama farm in the Santa Rita Hills that has become Rock 12 Distillery. On these 10 acres, a few miles past Buellton towards Lompoc, they use well water for distillation in a traditional copper pot still, and ingredients for their flavored spirits come from their own orchards. It’s a true farm-to-glass operation, the first of its kind in the region.
While the lineup at Rock 12 Distillery is dazzling—and worthy of a visit for the opportunity to taste a wide array of brandies, bourbons, amaro and liqueurs—their core selection of clear spirits inspired this trio of summer cocktails, leaning on the savory side.
Amber Turpin
Amber Turpin has been writing about food and travel for over 20 years. She grew up on Ballard Canyon Road, roaming the valley oak– studded hills as a kid in the 1980s and considers the original Mud Pie from Mattei’s Tavern a core memory. Her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, BBC Travel, EatingWell and Decanter magazine, and she is a longtime contributor to Edible publications.
