HOLYOKE – Hidden Tradition Spirits is bringing handmade and small batch liquor to Western Massachusetts. Located at 120 Front St. in Holyoke, owner Mike Styckiewicz crafts and sells his unique products of Wild Eden Hibiscus Gin and Séance Vodka.

Wild Eden Hibiscus Gin is infused with hibiscus petals and fresh mandarin orange peels. It is distilled from locally sourced corn using the Carter Head method, which creates a light citrus and herbal flavored gin. Séance is hand crafted from locally grown corn, fermented, triple distilled, charcoal filtered and bottled onsite delivering genuine small batch vodka.

Styckiewicz started the business in May 2019. Before opening Hidden Tradition Spirits, he was in the Coast Guard. Styckiewicz said that he took an interest in making liquor when he was younger and that he always knew he wanted to open a business of his own.

“That’s what I wanted to do. When I was a little kid, I always had lemonade stands and I wanted to have a bait shop. I went to school for business and I’d always intended on starting my own business. I like working for myself, that’s just always how I’ve been,” he said.

Styckiewicz makes all of his products himself and even designs his own labels, prints and packages them.

“Everything’s made right in Holyoke,” he said.

Hidden Tradition Spirits is currently located in 23 liquor stores across Western Massachusetts in areas such as Chicopee, Springfield, Hadley, Northampton, Greenfield and more. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Styckiewicz had plans to offer tours and tastings in his Holyoke showroom. Right now, he said that is on hold.

“I’m trying to get a little tasting area. I have a bar that I’m going to install in the front of the place,” he said.

Styckiewicz also offers frequent tastings of his products in local liquor stores. He said that he is currently experiencing many supply chain issues due to COVID-19, which has put these on hold as well.

“In the beginning of the pandemic, I was doing really well and it started taking off. Around October of 2020, it just took a nosedive,” he said. “That’s what’s been stopping me along the way is the shortages of a lot of things. I’m hoping to get back up and running by the middle of October and start doing tastings again.”

Despite facing challenges along the way, Styckiewicz said he has still seen a lot of community support for his products.

“Wherever it is, it sells. A lot of people in the community are really excited about it. I do get quite a bit of support from the community, especially Holyoke. Holyoke’s a great place and they’re very business friendly,” he said.

Compared to other mass-produced liquors, Styckiewicz said that Hidden Tradition Spirits focuses on small batches, pays attention to detail and puts love into their products.

“There’s a lot more attention into the taste of it. It’s not just some mass-manufactured product that they just throw everything in. This is made with love and it’s very different from most products you would try,” he said.

Those interested in learning more about Hidden Tradition Spirits are encouraged to visit their website at https://www.hiddentraditiondistillingco.com/.