Drum Circle Distilling

Troy Roberts understood that great spirits require patience when he founded Drum Circle Distilling in Sarasota, Florida in 2007. Though the distillery focuses on rum production, Roberts and his partners Tom Clarke and Ryan Adams apply whiskey-making principles to their craft: pot still distillation, careful barrel aging, and uncompromising ingredient standards.

History & Heritage

Roberts left the dot-com industry in 2007 to pursue distilling, initially considering rum cakes before deciding to distill the rum itself. The first Siesta Key Rum shipped in 2010 after three years of preparation. Clarke and Adams joined as partners that same year, establishing the family operation that continues today.

The Whiskey

While Drum Circle produces rum rather than whiskey, their methods mirror serious whiskey production. They distill in pot stills to preserve flavor congeners and age expressions in used bourbon and port wine barrels. Their traditional solera method for Distiller's Reserve demonstrates the barrel-aging expertise that translates across spirit categories.

Why It Matters

The Caribbean Journal named Drum Circle the best distillery in the United States and Caribbean in 2015. Their Siesta Key Spiced Rum earned "Best in Class" at the RumXP International Tasting Competition. For those who appreciate spirits made without artificial enhancement, Drum Circle represents the craft distilling principles that elevate American whiskey production.