The American craft whiskey scene has really come into its own over the past few years, expanding beyond the traditional Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons to include ryes, single malts, blends and white whiskeys made with a combination of Old World and new school techniques.
No. 10: Wyoming Whiskey – Kirby, Wyoming
The Mead family established themselves in Wyoming as ranchers in 1890 and have branched into sourcing local ingredients and producing the “Whiskey of the West.” Some of their most popular beverages include a Small-Batch Bourbon with hints of caramel and vanilla; a Single-Barrel Bourbon with impressions of butter crème and candied orange peel; and the aromatic and spicy Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey which reminds the drinker of fudge and anise.
No. 9: Rogue Spirits – Newport, Oregon
Oregon’s Rogue got their start in beer, but they’ve since made their mark in the world of craft whiskey as well. This Newport distillery makes several varieties, including an American single malt that’s “ocean-aged” and Dead Guy whiskey that’s wine cask finished.
No. 8: Belfour Spirits – Dallas, Texas
Hockey legend Ed Belfour has turned to whiskey-making through Belfour Spirits. These small-batch spirits include a rye whiskey, bourbon whiskey finished with Texas pecan wood and a limited edition straight rye whiskey.
No. 7: Wigle Whiskey Distillery – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
American whiskey was born in Western Pennsylvania, and Wigle Distillery, which opened in 2011, is named for Phillip Wigle, a pioneering Colonial distiller. Today, this distillery uses regional organic corn, wheat and malted barley milled on-site in the first distillery in Pittsburgh since Prohibition. They ferment and pot-distill all of their products at the family-owned distillery, including a variety of specialty and barrel-finish whiskeys, plus lines of Pennsylvania ryes and bourbons.
No. 6: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey – Denver, Colorado
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey has been proudly distilling single malt whiskey for over a decade with only four quality ingredients: “100% malted barley, yeast, Rocky Mountain snow melt and time in a barrel.” Travel expert Marla Cimini loves their “variety of exceptional Colorado whiskeys, tours and tastings.”
No. 5: Log Still Distillery – New Haven, Kentucky
Seven generations after Joseph Washington Dant crafted a still out of an old hollowed-out poplar log in 1836, his descendants are returning to the trade in a big way. Log Still is at the heart of Dant Crossing, a 300-acre property near New Haven, Kentucky. At the heart of it is the distillery using some of the Dant family’s original mash recipes and instructions. Their offerings include a traditional bourbon and gin under the Monk’s Road label and a more adventurous line of whiskeys called Rattle and Snap.
No. 4: Limestone Branch – Lebanon, Kentucky
The award-winning family of whiskeys from Limestone Branch Distillery in Kentucky includes Yellowstone Select (a straight blended bourbon), Yellowstone Limited Edition (another blended bourbon using the best of Limestone Branch’s own stock) and Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey finished in sherry casks.
No. 3: Heaven Hill Distillery – Bardstown, Kentucky
Experience the brands that “have been lifting spirits since 1935” in historic Bardstown, Kentucky at Heaven Hill Distillery. Their Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is a tribute to the earliest days of the distillery’s history. Additionally, the Henry McKenna (named after a famous whiskey-making Irish immigrant to Kentucky) is barrel-aged for 10 years. Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey is the first new style of American whiskey to be introduced since Prohibition, and their Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whiskey is a favorite choice of many mixologists and aficionados.
No. 2: Virginia Distillery Co. – Lovingston, Virginia
Virginia Distillery Co. in the Blue Ridge Mountains blends Old and New World techniques when crafting their lineup of spirits. Copper pot stills were imported from Scotland, while the temperature fluctuations of the local climate add complexity during the aging process. The distillery produces a line of American Single Malt whiskeys, as well as cask-finished whiskeys and limited offerings.
No. 1: Ironroot Republic – Denison, Texas
Ironroot Republic mashes, ferments, distills, ages and bottles all their spirits in Denison, Texas for a true grain-to-glass experience. The lineup includes six whiskeys – three bourbons, an American whiskey and two straight corn whiskeys.
