P1 Vodka is planning to open a distillery and tasting room in downtown Orlando.
The Orlando-based vodka brand has filed a conditional use permit for an 8,400-square-foot building at 503 W Central Blvd., a former KUL Office Furniture location. It’s just across the street from the Orlando Magic Training Center and future Westcourt Sports and Entertainment District.
“The proposal is for a small craft distillery and tasting room in downtown Orlando that will allow guests to experience how vodka is made in an approachable way,” Mitch Patel, founder and CEO of Patel Spirits, Inc., told GrowthSpotter. “The idea is to combine production with education and hospitality. Visitors will be able to see the distillation process, learn about ingredients and filtration and taste different expressions of P1 Vodka.”
The location will be the brand’s primary distillery, with the majority of the building to be warehouse space for production. Plans also call for an 1,800-square-foot tasting and sales area. In the tasting room, guests will be able to take tours and try P1 Vodka and cocktails made with the spirit, Patel said. However, it won’t be a traditional late-night bar.
“The focus will be on guided tastings, cocktails that highlight the vodka and educational experiences centered around the craft of distilling,” he said.
The Orlando Municipal Planning Board is tentatively scheduled to consider P1 Vodka’s conditional use permit on April 21. If approved, construction will start soon afterward with a goal of opening this June, Patel said.
Patel Spirits released P1 Vodka to the public market in 2022. Its label is black and gold, a tribute to the University of Central Florida, Patel’s alma mater. It has won multiple gold medals in spirit competitions and has a 90-point rating on Wine Enthusiast.
“P1 Vodka is focused on precision and smoothness,” he said. “The spirit is distilled 15 times and carefully filtered to create a clean, balanced vodka designed to work both in cocktails and on its own. Beyond the product itself, a big part of the brand is its local roots and its connection to the Central Florida community.”
Today, P1 vodka is served at venues in Orlando International Airport and the Kia Center as well as various locations downtown and in the tourism corridors.
P1 Vodka’s production volume varies depending on distribution growth and market demand, Patel said. Its new location will give it room to grow, Patel said, and downtown Orlando is “a natural fit.”
“Being downtown allows us to create a destination where both residents and visitors can experience a locally-produced spirit and learn about the distillation process,” he added. “It also puts us close to many of the restaurants, hotels and venues that already support the brand.”
Orlando is already home to a bustling craft alcohol scene. The P1 distillery will only bolster it, Patel said.
“Cities across the country have embraced distilleries as part of their cultural and tourism landscape and we think Orlando is a great place for that kind of experience,” he said. “We’re excited about the opportunity and look forward to continuing to work with the city as the project moves through the approval process.”
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