16 Of The Best Distilleries To Visit Outside Of Kentucky

It's no secret that Kentucky is considered the holy land of bourbon, from Maker's Mark to Woodford Reserve, some of our most famous bourbon brands come from the Bluegrass state. If bourbon tourism is your bag, you can't go wrong making a visit to Kentucky to tour the various distilleries that dot the idyllic landscape. A common misconception is that bourbon can only be called bourbon if it comes from Kentucky. 

The truth of the matter is that a proper bourbon needs to come from the United States. Despite what it may seem, Kentucky does not hold a monopoly on the bourbon trade and no matter where you are in the country, you most likely have a top notch distillery within jaunting distance. This article, presented in no particular order, will showcase some of the best distilleries for you to visit from the East coast to the West and even a few smack dab in the middle.  Make it a goal in 2026 to see how many of these fantastic distilleries you can visit.

First up is Vacationland itself, Maine. Only a few miles from the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean sits the beautiful town of York, Maine, home to Wiggly Bridge Distillery. Named after the world's smallest pedestrian suspension bridge, this labor of love from father and son team David and David Woods prides itself on being the ultimate craft spirits experience. 

Keeping the operation small has earned multiple awards in the craft spirits world, among them Maine Distillery of the Year from the NY International Spirits Competition, as well as second place in the Small Barrel Bourbon category from the American Craft Spirits Association.

The distillery experience itself has garnered almost universally positive reviews on TripAdvisor, where it holds a 4.9 rating. People love the cozy and welcoming atmosphere that the distillery's tasting room offers with high praise for mixologists on staff who serve up custom cocktails. Tours range from a general overview of the distilling experience to a hands-on "Distiller for a Day" experience.

wigglybridgedistillery.com
441 Us Route 1, York, ME 03909
(207) 363-9322

When you think about states that might offer an amazing bourbon experience, "Utah" might not be the first state that jumps to mind. However, a whiskey scene is coming alive in the Salt Lake State. High West Distillery put Utah bourbon on the map by becoming the first legal distillery in the state since 1870 when it opened its doors in 2006. 

It was awarded the prestigious Distillery of the Year recognition by Whisky Advocate Magazine first in 2010, then again 10 years ago, and it has continued to put out innovative spirits that capture the heart of Utah's growing whiskey culture.

The distillery offers not just tours of their distilling process and tastings of their spirits, but also a restaurant and shopping experience set in the motif of an old West town. Visitors praise the cozy tasting room and knowledgeable tour guides, and even the notoriously finicky Reddit whiskey hive-mind recommend taking the time to visit. 

highwest.com
27649 Old Lincoln Hwy., Wanship, UT 84017
(435) 649-8300

Situated in the repurposed historic Pan Am Terminal building on Treasure Island, Gold Bar Distillery offers every iconic view that San Francisco has to offer, from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz. Founded in 2013, Gold Bar doubles down on its Californian roots, aging some varieties of its whiskeys in Napa Valley wine barrels to give the spirits a unique finish.

The gorgeous panoramic scenery is the perfect backdrop to a distillery which has become a whiskey-tourist destination. One only needs to look at the glowing reviews on TripAdvisor to see why the experience is so popular. Cocktail making classes are a crowd favorite with knowledgeable bartenders leading a masterclass in creating three signature drinks. Voted the Best Distillery in 2025 by SF Gate, Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery has become a staple in the community for hosting live music, local food trucks, and even DJ events

goldbarwhiskey.com
1 Avenue of the Palms #167, San Francisco, CA 94130
(415) 592-2177

Though it is better known for its cheese curds, Wisconsin has been cultivating a thriving craft distillery scene. A small-batch distillery, Tattersall has won many accoladesfor its bourbon. However it has have proven that it is more than just your average mash-house. Originally founded in Minnesota, the company consolidated into their primary distillery location over the border in neighboring Wisconsin starting in 2024. 

With a commitment to sustainability, Tattersall sources the majority of its ingredients from within 100 miles of the distillery, forming alliances with local farm co-ops and even using barrels crafted by coopers in nearby Minnesota. They offer community events at their Rivers Fall, WI location, including an upcoming Maplefest!

If you happen to be tying the knot in Wisconsin, WeddingWire users highly recommend using the distillery as your venue, citing the excellent event planning staff and impressive catering menu as particular strong points.

tattersalldistilling.com
1777 Paulson Rd Suite 5, River Falls, WI
(534) 248-8300

The Granite State is an often overlooked destination, being flanked on all sides by prime vacation spots. That is why finding a hidden gem like New England Sweetwater Distillery is such a thrill. NH Magazine flagged it as the best distillery in the state starting in 2022. The magazine particularly celebrated the farm-to-glass philosophy, as the distillery brings many ingredients in from its own 50 acre farm in Winchester, NH.

A true family owned operation, New England Sweetwater Farm & Distillery was founded by Robert Patton-Spruill in 2015 before he sold the company to his cousins, Alisa Lawrence and Nilaja Young in 2020, keeping the business in the bloodlines. NESW, as it is known locally, also stands out as a Black owned and operated business. Praised for embodying the New Hampshire independent spirit, the Lawrence and Young families have made their downtown Winchester location a welcoming spot for tastings, tours, and educating visitors on the craft of distilling which has been a family tradition going back generations.

newenglandsweetwater.com
136 Main Street, Winchester, NH 03470
(603) 239-6056

It's hard to imagine, but Garrison Brothers Distillery is, in fact, the oldest, and first, legal whiskey distillery in the state of Texas. That fact might not seem so mind blowing until you realize that the place was founded in 2004! It goes to show how much time the non-Kentucky distilleries are making up for in such short order.

Garrison Brothers emerged after its founder, Dan Garrison, lost his shirt in the 2001 tech bubble burst. Undeterred, he set his sights on bringing bourbon to Texas. 

Since then, what started as tinkering in a shed on his farm property has bloomed into a true Texas experience with tours and live events. The bourbon, itself, has won international acclaim, even going so far as to win double platinum at the ASCOT awards in 2025. TripAdvisor demonstrates the distillery's popularity with its outpouring of positive reviews with high praise for the beauty of the ranch location and the friendly staff.

garrisonbros.com
1827 Hye-Albert Rd, Hye, TX 78635
(512) 381-3155

There are very few establishments that can trace their origins all the way back to Lewis and Clark. Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri actually can make that claim. The town grew around a limestone spring that was discovered by the famous adventurers in 1804, and just a few decades later in 1856 brothers Ben and David Holladay recognized just how much potential that precious water held and opened up their self-named distillery. 

Not content to simply be one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the country, Holladay bourbon has a healthy number of awards at its back, including the International Luxury Lifestyle award for best bourbon. The whiskey community of Reddit speak highly of their visits to the distillery and tours and tastings run Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays. If you find yourself in the Weston area, treat yourself to a taste of both history and true luxury.

holladaydistillery.com
1 McCormick Lane, Weston, MO 64098
(816) 640-3056

Even though Walton's Distillery opened in 2013, the Walton family has distilling in their bloodline going back over a century. The founder, Don Walton, Jr. wanted to return to the tradition of making moonshine, just as his family had done for over 100 years. He pays homage to his ancestors by naming his spirits after his long-gone great-grandfather (his great-grandmother's name was bestowed on the apple pie moonshine) and including old timey family photographs on the labels.

Tours and accompanying tastings are offered by Walton's free of charge, which is very generous, considering that the bourbon took home the silver in the Las Vegas International Spirit Awards. It hosts open house events, featuring live music and food made by the Walton family, themselves. When you're at Walton's Distillery, you might as well be a Walton yourself with how warmly you're treated by staff and owners alike. This distillery has perfected keeping the cozy homey feel of family while gaining recognition on an growing international stage. Not an easy feat.

waltonsdistillery.com
261 Ben Williams Rd, Jacksonville, NC 28540
(910)-347-7770

The Peach State has blessed the bourbon world with 13th Colony Distillery. This small-batch operation in Americus, GA stakes its claim as the oldest operating distillery since Prohibition, having opened up in 2009. Attention to detail is what gives this distillery its edge. 13th Colony credits the unique Georgia climate for its award-winning bourbon, citing the massive temperature swings, or heat cycles, with pushing the liquor through the pores of the barrels' wood, infusing even more flavor into the spirits.

The Georgia Business Journal has named 13th Colony the best distillery in Georgia every year since 2021, which comes as no shock given how carefully the bourbon is crafted. It offers a "Barrel Thief Tour and Tasting" where you can sample the wares directly from the tapped barrels as they're aging, allowing the most uncut tasting of the bourbon.

13thcolonydistillery.com
305 N Dudley Street, Americus, GA 31709
(229) 924-3310

Virginia's Tarnished Truth Distillery is the country's only distillery that is located inside a five-star hotel. While other distilleries sprawl across acres, Tarnished Truth embraces its home tucked within the historic Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach. Working hand-in-hand with the hotel, Tarnish Truth's co-owner Andrew Yancey, helped integrate the distillery experience into the Cavalier, itself, including removing an entire floor so that hotel guest could look down into the distillery from above and watch the process while the scents of cooking bourbon mash perfume the air. The distillery isn't just an accessory to the hotel; it's the beating heart of history within history.

Visiting the Tarnished Truth, you can take a tour of the facilities and enjoy a tasting of their award winning spirits before heading to the Hunt Room, a cozy hunting-lodge themed restaurant housed in the Cavalier. It's a real two-for-one experience while you're taking in the sweet atmosphere of historic Virginia Beach.

tarnishedtruth.com
4200 Atlantic Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 965-9652

Blaum Bros. is another small family-owned bourbon distillery that has been making a name for itself in the Midwest. Founded by self-proclaimed "whiskey nerd" brothers, Mike and Matt Blaum, this distillery has been taking Illinois by storm, going so far as to hit the max-allowable sale of product from the distillery directly (2500 gallons) under the state's liquor laws, the only distillery to do so. Bottles actually had to be removed from the shelves of the distillery's shop to stay in compliance with the state laws. It's little wonder the distillery is such a popular attraction in Galena, IL.

45 minute tours run every day at 3 p.m. with additional time slots on weekends. Tastings are offered at the end of the tours. With almost 3,000 reviews on TripAdvisor and holding strong at a 4.9 rating, this little distillery is definitely a must-visit the next time you find yourself in Northwest Illinois.

blaumbros.com
9380 US Hwy 20 W, Galena, IL 61036
(815) 777-1000

Residing in an historic ice plant, St. Augustine Distillery had many hurdles to overcome before it won its place as Distillery of the Year from Distiller Magazine. The plant, which opened in 1907 to provide the residents and fishers of St. Augustine with ice to consumption and commercial fish packaging, had been closed for decades and needed extensive renovations and modernizations before it could be cleared for use. 

All the efforts paid off, and by 2024, the distillery was seeing over 175,000 visitor annually. USA Today has ranked it the top distillery tour in the country multiple times, citing both the guided and self-guided tours as being top-notch. There are lots of opportunities to taste the wares, and it even offers a special Valentine's Day tasting class where bourbons are paired with curated chocolate truffles. Be still my heart!

staugustinedistillery.com
112 Riberia Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 825-4962

When it comes to award winning bourbons, Starlight Distillery is top of the class, boasting an almost endless list of commendations from some of the most prestigious groups, from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition to the ASCOT Awards. The distillery is located in the heart of Indiana's largest fruit farm, which has been owned by the same family for seven generations.

The Huber family single-handedly brought craft distilling to the state of Indiana, advocating for the change of laws that would allow for the production of bourbon. Starting in 2013, they were the first artisans in state to create bourbon from start to finish. The tours of the distillery offer a chance to bottle your own bourbon. There's even a "Farm to Glass" tour and brunch combo.  If you want to visit Starlight Distillery, leave plenty of time to visit the other attractions that are offered by the sprawling Huber farmland including their Family Farm Park, featuring corn mazes, pedal-karts, and a jump pad.

starlightdistillery.com
19816 Huber Road, Borden, IN 47106
(812) 923-9463

There's something ominous about a place called Burnt Church, but this South Carolina distillery is producing ASCOT award winning bourbon at a clip. The cathedral-like building in Old Town Bluffton has become an increasingly popular destination. 

Most notably, Burnt Church Distillery pays deep homage to its community, donating a portion of every tour and class sale to a monthly charity partner. The distillery also hosts a curated wood and glass artwork table titled "The Witness", which is etched with a poem commemorating the long history of Bluffton and the importance of the Gullah community who have been at the root of the town's culture and heritage.

USA Today named Burnt Church its top pick for New Craft Distillery in 2022. It offers tours, mixology classes, and live music. It also serves up a wide menu of delectable food to enjoy after you've explored the distillery. 

burntchurchdistillery.com
120 Bluffton Road, Bluffton, SC 29910
(843) 872-0158

With a soaring spiral staircase leading to the second floor bar and an art deco inspired interior, Great Jones Distilling Co. impresses from the jump. The only whiskey distillery in Manhattan since Prohibition, it would be a shame to skip the opportunity to embrace the glamourous experience of a tour and a taste of one of its bourbons.

They say that the secret ingredient in New York pizza and bagels is the water, so why wouldn't that be true of the bourbon as well? Kentucky's water is rich in lime, which gives it that signature Bluegrass flavor, so too does New York City's H2O bring a certain personalization to Great Jones' spirits. It sources all its ingredients from the state of New York, committing itself to producing a truly and fully New York bourbon. Honorably mentioned by USA Today as a top spirits tasting room, TripAdvisor has a host of glowing reviews from folks who have returned to the distillery multiple times to take the tour. It's even hosting an event called "Magic: Distilled" featuring illusionists performing Prohibition-era magic tricks. How New York can you get?

greatjonesdistillingco.com
686 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
(332) 910-9880

Count on New Orleans to have a can't-miss distillery. Seven Three Distilling Co. derives its name from the 73 different neighborhoods that make up the city of New Orleans. The distillery offers tours and tastings and the TripAdvisor visitors rave about the knowledgeable tour guides who offer wisdom not just about the distilling process, but also the history and culture of New Orleans. If you want the real inside scoop on how the mash is made, so to speak, you can even book a private tour with the head distiller and take home a personalized bottle filled directly from a barrel!

The bourbon isn't just an afterthought, either. Seven Three's spirits were awarded Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. So when you visit for Mardi Gras, don't fill up on hurricanes, same some room for some seriously impressive bourbon.

seventhreedistilling.com
301 N Claiborne Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 265-8545

These distilleries have been presented in no particular order or ranking. In selecting the distilleries to include on this list, I scoured TripAdvisor ratings along with Reddit reviews of hundreds of distilleries across the country. The distilleries presented were lauded not just for the bourbon they produced, but for the experience people typically had when they visited, toured, and tasted at the establishment. The distillery did not have to singularly produce bourbon, however the bourbon produced needs to be one of the standout spirits offered by the brand.