Full Circle Craft Distillers Co., the makers of Archipelago spirits, have consistently received top accolades and reviews from prestigious international spirits competitions and influential industry leaders.
Most recently, at the Asian Spirits Masters 2023, they secured three gold medals and two coveted Master medals. Additionally, the industry-leading US-based Wine Enthusiast magazine honored ARC Lava Rock Vodka with a 93 rating, earning a spot among the Top 100 Spirits for 2022.
On Aug. 15, Full Circle Craft Distillers, opened their distillery in Calamba, Laguna to the public. To celebrate its 5th anniversary, an interactive distillery tour and tasting experience were offered, with an aim to educate, uplift and promote international best practice.
founders of Full Circle Craft Distillers Co.
Co-founded by Matthew and his Filipina wife Laurie Westfall, Full Circle Craft Distillers is fulfilling its commitment to putting the Philippines on the global craft spirits map. “This is really a passion project about the Philippines,” Laurie emphasized. “Everything we do is to showcase the Philippines.”
The tour started in the lobby, where guests and several media members were welcomed with a stylish bar featuring ARC Botanical Gin. This gin includes 28 botanicals, 22 of which are locally sourced and foraged, such as mangoes from their family farm in Dasol, Pangasinan, pomelo from Davao, and Benguet pine from Sagada, Mountain Province.
Proceeding to the distillery area, Matthew introduced Maddie— named after the family’s French bulldog—Full Circle’s state-of-the-art 450-liter, seven-plate hybrid copper still, handmade in Germany. It was designed with precise specifications for their 28-botanical recipe. The copper still provides unparalleled control and precision for the team as they skilfully handcraft their artisanal spirits.
Maddie utilizes a programmable logic controller to ensure top-notch quality of every distillate drop. This also helps the team to gently coax out the essential oils from botanicals, resulting in a range of captivating aromas and flavors that define their well-known ARC Gin.
They also unveiled their iconic new bottle, releasing a bespoke, handcrafted 700ml bottle design with visually stunning labels and corks that feature unique Filipino design motifs. The eight-ray Philippine sun, drawn from national flag, figures prominently throughout the bottle: at its neck, on its body, and at the bottle’s heel.
On the front of each bottle, “ARC” is rendered in the Spanish colonial era painting style known as “Letras Y Figuras,” which translates to "letters and figures." The use of this style in ARC label and ARC alphabet also cleverly references some of their family team behind the award-winning spirits.
"What we are trying to achieve is truly what we want — when Filipinos from other countries, and even those who are here, say, 'Wow, this is made in the Philippines.' And it’s something we can truly be proud of,” Laurie explained.
The tour concluded by offering everyone a guided taste of a four-glass flight, including lava rock vodka, botanical gin, barrel gin, and black bamboo gin.
To taste and experience the country’s first authentic craft distillery, book a tour here. The priced is P1,800 per ticket, and many inclusions await you. For more information, visit the official website or text +63917118446.