Time to raise a glass—Petaluma’s own Griffo Distillery has just been named the producer of “America’s Greatest London Dry Gin” for 2025 by The Gin Guild at American Distilling Institute’s (ADI) International Spirits Competition.
The winning bottle? Scott Street Gin, a crisp, citrus-forward spirit made with wild juniper berries and locally sourced Sonoma Meyer lemons (it must be mentioned that master distiller Dr. Mike Griffo has an app that alerts him when neighbors’ lemon trees are ripe for the zesting). The Gin Guild—a global body dedicated to promoting excellence in gin—praised the Petaluma spirit’s keen balance of botanicals.
CEO William Maroun sees the award as something bigger than bragging rights. “Take one award by itself and it doesn’t mean a whole heck of a lot,” he said. “But you start stacking them—Best of Show, White Spirit of the Year, now this—and it’s validation. It means something.” In fact, Scott Street Gin quietly nabbed yet another Best of Show award just days before this one. Let the celebration beGIN.
And it’s not just spirits judges swooning. Anecdotally, it’s become the gin for people who think they hate gin. “You pour them a taste and they go, ‘Oh… I didn’t know I liked gin,’” said Maroun. He chalks that up to Griffo’s deft dodge of common pitfalls: too piney, too floral, too syrupy. Instead, Scott Street Gin leans into something subtler. A soft complexity. A balance.
That’s the word that comes up again and again: balance. Not surprising, given Dr. Mike Griffo’s scientific approach to distillation. The guy designed their custom Vendome still himself—and monitors its performance via text alerts. The man is half wizard, half engineer. “He’s very much a scientist,” Maroun said. “But he’s got a phenomenal palate. There’s artistry in the science.”
Griffo Distillery, founded in 2013, specializes in what it calls “scientifically crafted spirits”—a term redolent of beakers and Bunsen burners but more a testament to the precision exhibited in every pour. From their award-winning gin and vodka to their cult-favorite Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur (made with Equator Coffees, naturally), the distillery has become a quietly potent force in American craft spirits.
It helps that Griffo’s Petaluma DNA runs deep. The fermenter is an old dairy tank. The vibe is farm-to-glass. And while the juniper berries are imported from Italy (organic, of course), the brandy grapes and Meyer lemons are decidedly local. One can taste the terroir—or at least the neighborhood.
Though two-thirds of Griffo’s business comes from contract distilling (yes, there’s a secret gin or two out there with a Griffo provenance), Scott Street remains their flagship. It’s been their standard bearer since the beginning—same formula, same still, no tweaks to chase trends. “We might launch a new SKU if the market drifts,” said Maroun. “But this one? This one is perfect.”
And now, officially, America agrees. Drink accordingly.
Visit Griffo Distillery at 1320 Scott St., Suite A, Petaluma. 707.879.8755. griffodistillery.com.
