Distilling Aromatic Plants + Resins
near Asheville, NC
The art of distillation begins with presence
Distilling Aromatic Plants + Resins begins September 12, 2026 // Noon - 4pm!
Imagine a beautiful afternoon with one of our area’s most nourishing herbal healers…
In this introductory workshop, we will slow down, gather around a glass still, and learn this ancient art through direct experience.
We will explore the history of distillation and its current revival, as well as aromatic plants easily grown in our region that you may choose to grow for future distillation experimentation.
We’ll go over the various types of stills, traditional copper alembics, glass, clay, and stainless steel, and why you might choose one over another. Four hours is just enough time to fall in love with this process.
~ If you can’t eat it,
then it shouldn’t go on your skin~
We will touch on the medicines produced from distillation: hydrosol, essential oil, and in the case of some plants, the medicine in the spent plant material.
At the end of the workshop participants will take home a 2 ounce bottle of hydrosol we’ve distilled together. This class is interactive and unhurried so come prepared with curiosity, this is only the beginning…
Meet your instructor!
Rebecca Vann is an herbalist, distiller, and educator here in WNC and at the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine. She has been immersed in the world of plant magic for nearly 30 years and began her love of distilling 6 years ago. In the classroom, she uses modern and ancient science, alchemy, as a pillar and weaves in her experiential and intuitive side through story. Beyond BRSHM, you’ll find her wildcrafting and tending to her apothecary, aurum apotheca, where she distills quite a bit of Frankincense and crafts several lines of luxury botanical skincare.
Dates + Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 // Noon - 4pm
$135
Refund Policy
Withdraw 4+ weeks before class → 50% refund
Withdraw within 4 weeks of start → no refund or credit
**We meet rain or shine.
Your Place Is Waiting
Whether you’re just beginning or simply want to go deeper…
We welcome you to experience the magic of distilling.
“The story of the plants I work with is of utmost importance to me, and there’s always a story of how a particular plant comes into the aurum apotheca line of offerings.” - Rebecca Vann, Instructor and Founder of Aurum Apotheca.