John Emerald Distillery

Definitely recommend. Stop by this place if you are in town for a visit. Wonderful atmosphere and conceptual décor. You can get a tour and taste their local made spirits. Also the staff is very helpful, fun and hospitable. Be sure to try their Dark and Stormy, its one of several well made cocktails.

After some beers at Red Clay Brewing next door, making a stop at John Emerald seemed like a very very wise idea. So our group headed over, curious to find what the distillery had in store for us.
The beautiful wooden and brick space was hot, and I found myself growing glowy. It was probably a perfect storm of the unseasonably warm weather, lots of bodies in the smallish room, and air not being on.
There was a lengthy wait at the bar for drinks. The sole bartender was hustling but it wasn’t enough. Thankfully another bartender showed up eventually. Drinks are about $ 7 – 8. The pride and joy of John Emerald, John’s Alabama Single Malt, isn’t listed in any of the concoctions, but can be mixed into a cocktail upon request. It’s the first legal whiskey to be made in the Heart of Dixie in 100 years, since Prohibition. Wow, that’s pretty cool, even if I don’t like whiskey.
Unfortunately, some of us were not blown away by our cocktails. The Old Fashioned and Sidecar received low marks, while the Bloody Mary fared better, along with the Moscow Mule variations. My Dark Mojito made with Sarah’s Silver Rum, simple syrup, mint, lime, and berries, was fine though heavy-​handed with the lime juice. If you like drinking spirits up, try the tasting flight. The liquors come in tiny thimble-​sized cups that led to a discussion about communion cups at our table.
I saw a TV but it wasn’t on. Some people were playing a giant Jenga. I think that was the only game available. All of the employees were very nice and friendly. Oh, and the sink in the bathroom is set into a barrel, neato!
Check out the website if you want to sign up for a tour Thursdays through Saturdays; it’s $ 5 for the tour only and $ 10 if you want a tour and a tasting. Also look for a list of distributors on the website. Looks like you can buy bottles of John Emerald at ABC stores in Alabama and a few shops in Georgia.
Pro tip: keep an eye out for Mr. Beans, the friendly distillery cat!

I was thoroughly impressed with the product they had here. Given how hard it is to get a distillery off the ground and the ages of the product that customers have come to expect they have really made a niche bar for locals to enjoy. Unaged spirits never were my fancy, but I really enjoyed their single malt whiskey and aged rum.

Love this place. Great drinks at a great price. Taking the tour is well worth it. These guys are passionate about their spirits. Incredible whiskey.

My favorite «watering hole». I true treasure here in Opelika. From the owners to Jill the bartender. ., and if course the spirits.

I used to think I didn’t like spirits. As a homebrewer, I have always been more of a beer guy. But when JED opened near my home, I thought I’d check it out. And boy am I glad I did. This has become my favorite hang out in the Auburn/​Opelika area. The skill and precision that Jimmy and John put into making their hand crafted spirits is amazing.
The cocktails are sophisticated and well-​balanced with the flavors of the spirits evident in them (my wife loves the big swamp fizz, I’m more of a Dark and Stormy fan myself). But if you really want to get the full experience of a craft distillery, try them straight (they do offer tastings). Gin is something I normally avoid, but theirs has more contemporary floral and citrus flavors that someone new to gin is going to find very pleasing. If you’re a whiskey drinker, make sure you give their single malt a try. It’s incredible how much flavor they get and how smooth it tastes compared to more expensive older brands.
They also clearly have an eye for design. The tasting room is beautiful, inviting, and warm. The overall ambience is great. Its a wonderful place for young professionals to hang out and enjoy one another’s company. Definitely not a rowdy drunk fest.
Our liquor cabinet used to be nonexistent, but now it’s stocked with John Emerald Spirits. JED is a great addition to the booming downtown Opelika night scene.

I am thrilled to see this awesome addition to downtown Opelika! Talking to Jimmy, the distiller, is informative and entertaining. All drinks fall into the category of «craft cocktail» and are made with the upmost attention to detail… fresh herbs and house made spirits. Jimmy gave us a tour of the facility and it is incredible how much he is able to utilize a space of this size, and still has room to expand! This place is good for all ages… the perfect place to bring friends visiting town, or even parents.
The spiced rum is my favorite. I would highly recommend it, especially in their Dark & Stormy. This little distillery is going places. Check it out.