My name is Whit Rigali. I’m the co-founder, distiller, and head janitor of the Misadventure & Co. Distillery. I currently reside in Vista, CA.

I was first attracted to the industry because it allowed me to travel to different locations and work at the same time. What has kept me in it for so long is the wonderful social aspect—I’m constantly meeting new people—and enjoy the creativity that comes with distilling and making cocktails.

Visiting our distillery in Vista is the best way to buy our products. There, you can learn more about our process, meet the founders, and sample some of our amazing cocktails.

Henebery Rye Whiskey.

We have a fun riff on a John Daly called the Wade Boggs. It’s 2 ounces Misadventure & Co. Vodka, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ¾ ounce rich honey syrup, and 3 dashes orange fennel bitters layered with black tea.

When it gets cold, I love a good hot toddy. The whiskey, lemon, honey, and hot water soothes the soul.

The San Diego community is very open with their processes and willing to collaborate. This sharing of knowledge constantly pushes everyone to be better.

The El Dorado Cocktail Lounge and Mission Ave Bar & Grill.

I’d actually like to give a shout-out to ProduceGood. They’re an amazing nonprofit that rescues unsold or ugly produce from farms, farmers’ markets, and ornamental gardens to help feed the needy.

Misadventure acts like a caboose on the food system. We upcycle surplus baked goods from food banks and make award-winning vodka. This prevents food from going to the landfill and ensures we don’t waste the resources that was used to water and grow those ingredients. The environmental savings are so significant that each sip of our vodka lowers someone’s carbon footprint.

I’d like to meet more sustainably-minded folks in the local food and beverage industry to see if there are fun ways to work together.

You can visit Misadventure & Co. Distillery at 2420 Grand Ave Suite C, Vista, CA 92081 and follow them on Instagram at @misadventureco.