Idaho gin, vodka and whiskey distillery eyes Sarasota for Florida debut

Longboat Key resident and businessman Dustin Curtis says when he first visited Warfield Distillery and Brewery in the highlands of Idaho, he immediately knew something special was brewing.

"I get chills just thinking about it," he says of the tour with Warfield Distillery co-founder Alex Buck. "It made that much of an impression, and we knew we had to back it."

Curtis is vice president of Interstate Holdings, a Sarasota-based commercial real estate and investment company. Interstate Holdings acquired Warfield in June 2024, and Curtis took on a position as vice president with the spirit-producing business as well.

Now, Curtis is excited his own backyard of Sarasota will serve as the introductory city for Warfield to expand distribution to Florida later this month.

"We have not been in Florida at all yet, so this is a fresh launch," Curtis says.

The distillery produces gin, vodka and a line of whiskeys, including its flagship American Single Malt Idaho Highlands Whiskey.

Buck, also managing distiller and operations manage of Warfield, says he's particularly proud of the way the company's whiskeys have a roundness on par with similar spirits aged much longer.

"What really sets it apart is our process," Buck says. "We're lucky because it all starts with amazing ingredients, including more Idaho-focused grains. We started with a brewing background, which I think is key for quality, particularly on our whiskeys."

Image courtesy of Warfield Distillery and Brewery

Judges on national and international stages have taken notice. At the New York International Spirits Competition 2025, Warfield garnered the title of "Idaho Distillery of the Year." Both its gin and whiskey earned individual medals there, as well at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Considering the single malt is Warfield's flagship spirit, Buck was also happy to see both it and the barrel-aged gin earn "Best of Class Platinum" status at the SIPS Awards 2025, among other accolades.

Curtis says they appreciate the recognition. But even more so, the team enjoys when someone new to the world of whiskey finds their products approachable yet complex. 

"Our spirits are super smooth, even young," Buck says. "We had a whiskey that was six-months aged for mixing in the bar called 'The Local.' You would drink it and could tell it was a young whiskey, but it was still smooth. With a lot of whiskeys, you could drink them and say, 'I'm never drinking whiskey again.'"

Warfield Distillery is working with Lakewood Ranch-based Gold Coast Eagle Distributing to bring the full line of spirits to the Sarasota area, and Curtis says they anticipate being stocked both on retail shelves and at local restaurants.

Steve Landers is the owner of Interstate Holdings, and Curtis says the fellow Longboat resident is equally as excited to see Sarasota become the launching pad for wider distribution.

Image courtesy of Warfield Distillery and Brewery

"I've worked with this family for 24 years, and they're great people," Curtis says, explaining how they led the way south to Longboat Key in the early 2020s for Landers' son to attend IMG Academy in Bradenton. 

Buck, meanwhile, notes that, considering the distillery's products take years to mature, any changes the company makes need to be done with a far-ranging vision.

"It's a long-term game," he says. "We're cresting on about 10 years, but we have a decent amount in the five to seven year range."

At the same time, he says it is important to preserve an innovative spark at the heart of the business, which he nurtures with test batches trying new gin products.

From the care taken in sourcing quality ingredients for the 100% barley mash to the investment in equipment like their Scottish pot stills, every step makes the difference between a good whiskey and a great one, Buck says.

But, though Warfield is expanding to warmer climates, he says rum isn't on the spirit list — yet.

This article originally appeared on sister site YourObserver.com.