An Irish guide, Jamaican barrels, and a Maryland distillery quietly building something worth paying attention to.
- Distillery: True Standard Distilling
- Location: Frederick, Maryland
- Opened: 2025
- Known for: Maryland Made Rum & Cocktails
- Visit Type: Hosted by Ciaran, Tasting Room Bar Manager & Daniela, Social Media & Marketing Manager
The People Behind It
Brian and Ashley Allen built this as a family operation, and it shows — not in branding language, but in how the place feels.
Head distiller Chantel runs a tight ship. Even in a brief interaction, it was clear she’s locked into the details, with the kind of precision you want behind the scenes.
And then there’s Ciaran connecting it all, translating process into something human.
The Kind of Tour You Don’t Fully Remember — But Don’t Forget
Not every distillery visit starts with a clipboard and a walkthrough.
Sometimes it starts with a drink in your hand.
At True Standard Distilling, that drink was a Chocolate Cherry Old Fashioned, poured before the tour even began and encouraged to come along for the ride. It set the tone early: this wasn’t going to be rigid or overly technical. It was meant to be experienced.
Not every distillery visit sticks because of process or proof points.
Some stick because of a person.
At True Standard Distilling in Frederick, that person was Ciaran — an Irishman working in a Maryland rum distillery, equal parts storyteller and technician, and unapologetically obsessed with one thing:
Wood.
(Find Ciaran’s bespoke wood creations here)
“If barrels could talk…” he started at one point.
Then, without missing a beat—he made the case that they already do.
Drink in hand, moving from room to room, it felt less like a formal tour and more like being let in on something.
A Distillery Built on Movement
True Standard isn’t pretending to be Caribbean. And it’s not trying to be a whiskey distillery either.
It lives somewhere in between.
Founded by Brian and Ashley Allen, the path here wasn’t linear. Costa Rica sparked the interest, Hawaii deepened it, and Maryland became home. A custom still from Vendome Copper & Brass Works anchors the operation, but the identity goes beyond equipment.
They distill solely on-site, though they will often reuse barrels from well known whiskey distilleries or those that previously held Jamaican rum.
Which is where things start to get interesting.
Starting With a Pour
The Chocolate Cherry Old Fashioned leans dessert-adjacent without going overboard, built with Oxford Reserve rum, chocolate liqueur, cherry juice, and cacao bitters.
It’s slightly sweet, balanced, and easy to sip, which matters when you’re carrying it through a barrel room. The cherry and chocolate show up first, but the rum holds its ground underneath.
More importantly, it reframes expectations early:
Rum isn’t just something you mix. It’s something you build around.
Why Everything Comes Back to the Barrel
If there was a theme to the entire visit, it was this: not all barrels are created equal.
Ciaran walked through the differences between American and Jamaican barrels in a way that felt less like a lecture and more like a translation. Different climates, different wood treatment, different histories — and all of it shows up in the glass.
In the barrel room, that idea becomes tangible.
“If barrels could talk…”
– Ciaran, Tasting Room Manager
Newer barrels sit alongside weathered ones, some that made the journey from Jamaica; darkened staves, stained edges, and in some cases, liquid slowly working its way out. Not leaking in a concerning way. Just… breathing.
If barrels could tell stories, this is where they’d start.
Tasting the Difference
The clearest moment came after the tour, back at the bar, working through the lineup intentionally.
Tasting through unaged rum next to rum aged in used Heaven Hill and Old Forester barrels made the point instantly, especially after seeing where and how those barrels were resting.
The standout was the Oxford Reserve (wildly only $28).
It leans closer to whiskey than most rum drinkers might expect, with a tannic structure that feels familiar without losing its identity. It’s the kind of bottle that quietly bridges two worlds.
The white rums were a surprise in a different way — clean, soft, and absent the harshness most people associate with the category.
And the spiced rum? Nothing like the Captain Morgan most of the American public has come to expect from the category. Fuller, more layered, and actually built on the base spirit instead of covering it up.
A Quick Guide to What’s on the Shelf
True Standard’s “Dangerous Summer” lineup covers a wide range, but it all ties back to approachability and versatility: built for cocktails, but not limited to them.
A few standouts from the lineup:
- Dangerous Summer Silver Rum
Bright, clean, and easygoing. This is where the distillery flips expectations. No harsh edges, just a soft, mixable base that works far beyond the typical “well rum” role. - Dangerous Summer Silver Spiced Rum
Lighter than most spiced rums, with citrus and botanical notes that keep it from feeling heavy. Built more for balance than sweetness. - Dangerous Summer Dark Spiced Rum
Warmer and fuller, with molasses and spice showing up in a more traditional profile but still cleaner than what most people expect from the category. - Dangerous Summer Oxford Reserve (my personal favorite)
The anchor. Aged with intention, pulling in toasted oak, spice, and structure. This is the one whiskey drinkers should start with —familiar in texture, but still distinctly rum.
It’s a lineup built less around categories and more around how people actually drink.
Costa Rica sparked the interest, Hawaii deepened it, and Maryland became home.
A Space That Carries Its Past
Like much of Frederick, the building itself does part of the storytelling.
Exposed brick, preserved structure, and small details that remind you this wasn’t always a distillery. Over the last century, it’s been a blacksmith shop, a gas station, and a retail space— each version leaving something behind.
There’s even a section where the original chimney once stood, now partially visible, with bottles displayed behind glass. It’s not overdesigned. It’s just there in peaceful co-existence.
And that restraint works.
Author’s Note: Incredible restoration job by Bates Architects
Final Pour
True Standard Distilling isn’t trying to out-Caribbean the Caribbean.
It’s doing something else—something rooted in blending tradition with intention, and letting wood, time, and people shape the result.
If you’re a whiskey drinker, there’s enough here to feel familiar.
If you’re a rum drinker, there’s enough here to stay interested.
Either way, it’s worth the visit.
This visit was hosted by the distillery. All thoughts are my own and not influenced by the experience.
Love local DC, Maryland, and Virginia whiskey? Explore the full collection of reviews and distillery visits to discover more small-batch gems and high-proof favorites.
Related Distillery Visits
A visit to Lost Whiskey Club in Virginia — exploring their sourced whiskey program, evolving maturation approach, and a philosophy rooted in community, storytelling, and shared pours.
Explore Song Dog Distillery in Boyds, Maryland
Explore the farm-to-glass operation in the Agricultural Reserve, reviews of their bourbon and an exclusive rye blending experience with head distiller Kristian Naslund
From the distillery and dining experience to the home glass — the quality sourced and blended whiskies of Open Road Open Road Distilling Co.