High Banks Distillery has made a name for itself here in Columbus, but even with three prime locations — Grandview Heights, Gahanna, and Westerville — Josh and I had never been. We took our first date night since having the baby and headed to the Gahanna location, and decided to check out the locally made spirits and food. 

Co-owners Adam and Tony opened the original distillery in 2018, just twelve years after Adam and his father had visited the Jack Daniels distillery in Kentucky. Adam had a dream of making his own Whiskey, and since then, he has won numerous awards for various spirits, earning him the title of the most awarded Master Distiller in Ohio. Not only did they open a distillery, but also a restaurant, a whiskey society, a whiskey-making class, and more. 

Before we discuss drinks and food, I think we should mention the “extras” in more detail. On their website, you can find so many sources of information about their products. For example, they have videos on every type of Whiskey coming out of their “war room,” so you know exactly how it was made and what flavors will be in it before you buy it. They also have a video featuring cocktail ideas that utilize their spirits. The Whiskey Society is a group you can purchase membership into and talk to people that share an affinity for Whiskey, plus get merchandise from High Banks. Then there is The Master Blend – a class you can take to create your very own Whiskey blend for $175 a person. 

High Banks is also a part of 1% for the planet. It’s a global organization dedicated to saving the planet. High Banks gives 1% of revenue to local and national partners, uses eco-friendly glass for their spirits, and last year planted a tree with every bottle of Whiskey purchased in April. 

Now, let’s finally discuss our experience—the first date night, which called for drinks and the sharing of several appetizers. Josh tried a cocktail featuring their Whiskey, the Apple Whiskey Fizz, a cocktail that embodies all things fall with apples and cardamom. I had their blueberry basil, which features High Banks vodka and a blueberry reduction. Both were delicious, and both were on happy hour, which makes things taste even better. We then split the deviled eggs, crispy brussels sprouts, nachos, focaccia, and chili herb butter. Let’s start with the not-so-impressive snacks. The nachos were just nachos, and even though they were our server’s favorite, they are an item we wouldn’t order again. The crispy Brussels sprouts were okay, but when we read crispy, we want CRISPY. However, the deviled eggs were a smash hit, and the chili herb butter provided leftovers that we enjoyed for a week with various store-bought breads. Both are items we would order again. Their appetizers are no longer part of their happy hour, but that could change in the future, so keep an eye out! Overall, the ambiance and the opportunity to get away made this a great experience, even though we only enjoyed half of the food. 

Really, though, they specialize in their spirits, and those certainly did not disappoint!