About Us

Our Founder  Peter Nomm had a dream and, in 2013, he brought it to fruition with the establishment of Northern Waters Distillery. His wife, Lisa, was on board and they opened up a small, modest corner shop in 2014 in downtown Minocqua - offering moonshines while his whiskeys and bourbons began the aging process. Things were on a smaller scale, with much of the original equipment still having a purpose and home at the larger facility the Nomm’s moved into in 2018. The Hwy 51 site was made with growth of production in mind – interestingly, the tasting room popularity far exceeded initial plans and expectations. The new site was exciting, as were the expanded production and opportunity for a specialty cocktail bar featuring the increasingly refined and improved quality products.

New Ownership  In 2023, the Nomms sold to the Johnson-Donahue family: Jake Donahue, his sister Sarah Johnson, and her husband Cal Johnson. In 2020, Jake started at N.W.D, bringing a strong cocktail repertoire and bar management background following 20 years in Chicago – and bringing that experience to the Northwoods. Sarah and Cal bring a plethora of hospitality experience, from family restaurants and resorts to small business ventures, alongside work and a strong commitment to the Northwoods via non-profit, tourism, and education-related work. The ownership team remains committed to N.W.D’s principles of creative experimentation, quality products, and customer-centric decision-making. Thankfully, we are blessed with a committed, talented, and friendly staff that make our experience and yours top notch!

A Shared Vision  Our Northwoods business and home is a combination of the old and the new. It is generations of families embracing the tradition of a cabin on the lake. The kids, parents, and grandparents, all together in one place.  The Northwoods offers everything we are looking for – the finest experiences in the most beautiful surroundings. The goal for our products reflects this – we strive to provide the finest quality spirits created in the most traditional means possible. Each batch, each barrel, and each bottle having uniquely independent characteristics that can only be appreciated a sip at a time.

We welcome you to come and enjoy all that we have to offer!