Bottoms Up!
By Wendy Carlson

 You may be more familiar with actor Chris Meloni from his detective role on “Law & Order: SVU.” But recently he has popped up in cheeky ads on social and YouTube as the rugged ambassador for Roxbury’s Mine Hill Distillery. In which he asks: “What’s the first thing you think of when I say bourbon? That’s right: Connecticut. Sure, Kentucky is a close second with its Pappy this and Maker’s that, but it’s Connecticut bourbon you should be thinking of.”As for the gin, he boasts, “It’s the best gin in any state. It’s what I drink and it’s what you should be drinking—if you can get it.”

Now, apparently, you can. Under new ownership, Mine Hill is expanding nationally by offering online sales of its amaro, bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka. Established in 2018, the distillery was in danger of going under until it was purchased in 2023 by author, historian, economist, and money manager Zachary Karabell, alongside other investors. Karabell tapped his friend Meloni, who owns a house in Bridgewater, to promote Mine Hill’s historical significance and use of local ingredients in its small-batch craft spirits.

New, too, is an expanded and upgraded bar in the restored train station, which opened in July for cocktails and light snacks. The tasting room is open on weekends, from 12 pm – 5 pm.—millhilldistillery.com