9 Craft Distilleries In The US You Should Visit

The U.S. spirits landscape has evolved far beyond the recognition of simply being the birthplace of bourbon. In recent years, we've seen a transformation in both the quality and individuality that the country's craft distilleries have been able to produce. While previous decades were dominated by the big-name distilleries, far more awards are going to craft distillers who have mastered the art of producing high-quality whiskeys, rums, gins, and more.

Today, you'll find these distilleries popping up in aircraft hangars, mountain towns, and cities. The success is forcing American drinkers to rethink their choices when they browse the aisles — there are just so many more to choose from. Added to that, these craft distilleries are becoming destinations not only for those who enjoy the spirits but also for families who are looking for a unique experience while they're traveling about the country.

While innovation and high-quality local sourcing are key factors to success, climate also plays a big role. From the high altitudes of Utah to the heat of Texas, local grains and unique climates are giving these distilleries an opportunity to create remarkable labels. With this success, however, comes a challenge for spirit lovers — which craft distillery to choose? To help you, we've listened to the spirit writers, noted the award success, and tried a few to give our own verdict on what to look out for. From big award winners to the labels that writers rave about, here's our list of nine craft distilleries in the U.S. you should visit.

Starting in Utah, High West Distillery is located in Park City, about 30 miles east of Salt Lake City. The journey for this craft distillery began in 2006 when a biochemist set off to launch the first legal distillery in Utah since 1870. What sets High West apart from many other distilleries is that it adds a creative approach to traditional distilling methods. The result of this is the creation of several outstanding labels. On the tasting menu, you'll find a variety of whiskeys, barrel-finished cocktails, and bourbons. If you're looking for a little something extra, you can also get your hands on branded flasks and recycled blankets. But why should you visit?

High West is a highly acclaimed craft distillery, winning a variety of awards over recent years. This includes accolades from Whisky Advocate, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and, most recently, coming in at No. 4 in the USA Today 10Best Spirits Tasting Room category.

A unique feature of High West is that it boasts the world's only ski-in gastro-distillery, called High West Saloon. It sits at the bottom of Quittin' Time ski run in Park City Resort, so if you're hitting the slopes and looking for a lift of the spirits, it's worth a visit. If you're buying one of its labels directly, prices start from $22.99 and, if you're looking for a little something special, go as high as $274.99.

https://highwest.com/

(435) 649-8300

27649 Old Lincoln Hwy, Wanship, UT 84017

If you're traveling through California and looking for a spirit that the writers rave about, make sure that St. George Spirits is on your destination list. Located in Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, you'll find this much-loved craft distillery. First opened in 1982, St. George Spirits offers visitors tasting flights and distillery tours, where you can either walk in or reserve a spot before your visit. Why should it be added to the list of must-visit craft distilleries in California? Well, if it's the credibility of the writers you're looking for, it's a must.

Multiple spirits writers have, in the past, voted St. George Spirits as the best craft distillery in America. While the craft distillery's whiskeys have made a mark with big-name publications, it's the range of gins that many writers have raved about most. Even if neither is exactly to your taste, there are other spirits to try at the distillery. This includes vodka, brandy, California shochu, absinthe, and more. It's one of those unique craft distilleries that seem to make magic with whatever spirits it produces. Well, that's what the writers believe, at least.

As for the actual visit, the location is as unique as the distillery's range. You'll find the distillery set within the old Alameda Naval Air Station, which was redeveloped after its closure in early 1997. The setting gives visitors an excellent view of the San Francisco skyline, an unusual backdrop for any craft distillery.

https://stgeorgespirits.com/

(510) 769-1601

2601 Monarch Street, Alameda, CA 94501

For bourbon drinkers who want to taste the impact of environmental extremes on a spirit, Garrison Brothers in Hye, Texas, is one location to add to your travel plans. Don't expect to find this craft distillery on the main strip — it's tucked away off the beaten track about 12 miles west of Johnson City. What we love about Garrison Brothers is its dedication to bourbon, with each bottle meticulously crafted from locally sourced grain. As the first and oldest distillery in Texas, its range has achieved much acclaim in the awards space, and it's often touted as an exceptional Texas bourbon maker.

With too many individual honors to list, its recognitions include various golds in the 2025 American Spirits Council of Tasters (ASCOT) Awards, and even more golds in the 2025 Global Whiskey Challenge awards. Much of this recognition is due to Mother Nature, with the distillers on site embracing the relentless Texas heat and considerable evaporation to create bourbons with unique character.

First opened to the public in 2008, the Garrison Brothers distillery is located in Texas Hill Country on a working ranch, with tours, tastings, and classes for visitors. It also boasts the Garrison Brothers Whiskey Shack, rated as the No. 1 place to visit in Hye. The unique drinks menu and various meals on offer provide a hearty Texas welcome to both thirsty and hungry travelers. You can visit the Whiskey Shack from Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or on Fridays from 10 a.m to 6 p.m.

https://www.garrisonbros.com/

(512) 381-3155

1827 Hye-Albert Road, Hye, TX 78635

For craft lovers looking for a wide range of impressive spirits, Tattersall Distilling is one to include on the list. You'll find the craft distillery in western Wisconsin, about 35 miles east of Minneapolis in River Falls. The distillery boasts a variety of acclaimed releases, from aged and clear spirits to specialty cocktails. This includes applejack, bourbon, rye whiskey, gin, absinthe, vodka, rum, and aquavit, a traditional Scandinavian savory spirit. It's a great option if you need to diversify your drinks cabinet.

The success of Tattersall comes from a passionate team that takes an uncompromising approach to its craft, with research and experimentation playing a key role in how the distillery develops the range. When you visit Tattersall, you'll get to sample award-winning spirits and get a glimpse into how it's all done by joining one of the Saturday distillery tours. If you're looking for a more personalized experience, you can book a private tour from Wednesday to Sunday. You can also do a self-guided tour for free if you're looking to enjoy the distillery in your own time.

At the distillery, you'll find The Craft Cocktail Bar & Eatery offering a cocktail, lunch, dinner, and dessert menu. Get the best bang for your buck with the Tattersall happy hour, available Wednesdays through Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and all day on Sundays. Beyond the bottle, Tattersall is a popular wedding and event venue.

https://www.tattersalldistilling.com/

(534) 248-8300

1777 Paulson Road, River Falls, WI 54022

Any list of the best craft distilleries in the U.S. wouldn't be complete without mentioning Leopold Bros., producers of an award-winning rye whiskey that is highly rated by multiple whiskey writers. Located in Denver, the Colorado craft distillery has several whiskeys, bourbons, and liqueurs in its portfolio. As is the case with many top craft distilleries in the U.S., this is a family affair. Brothers Todd and Scott Leopold founded the business and still steer the ship today. The brothers' take on distilling, which may well be where much of their success lies, is that they returned to a more "analog" approach in their distilling practices.

Leopold Bros. is one to visit if you're looking to understand the three-chamber still, a historical, semi-continuous distilling machine. On a distillery education tour, you'll learn about this contraption and the various approaches Leopold Bros. takes to produce the range. While the distillery produces a variety of liqueurs, like sweet wermut, cherry, cranberry, apple, and more, it's the rye whiskey that the writers particularly gush about. You'll find a few of these featured in articles listing the best rye whiskeys in the U.S. It's not just the writers that appreciate the releases — Leopold Bros. also had one of the top international whiskies in the 2025 New York International Spirits Competition.

You'll find Leopold Bros. distillery on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, about 12 miles northeast of downtown Denver. You can visit on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. for an unplanned stop, or you can make a reservation.

https://www.leopoldbros.com/

(303) 307-1515

5285 Joliet Street, Denver, CO 80239

Another highly coveted off-the-beaten-track craft distillery is Frey Ranch. It's located in the small town of Fallon, Nevada, 70 miles east of Reno. Whether you're visiting the rural Nevada desert to enjoy the beauty or the variety of outdoor activities on offer, or if you're just passing through, make sure to visit Frey Ranch. While the historic whisky farm is a great example of a craft distillery embracing family tradition, it's the single-grain whiskey on offer that makes this one well worth a visit.

Growing 100% of its whiskey grains on-site, Frey Ranch has racked up a number of awards in recent years. This includes the best single-grain whiskey in the Top Shelf Awards 2025, the best special barrel-finished whiskey of the year in the 2025 ASCOT Awards, and several awards in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, among others. It was also the most awarded distillery of the year at the 2025 ASCOT Awards, so even if you're not looking for a single-grain whiskey, you'll have plenty of other options to choose from. This includes bourbons, rye whiskey, and cocktails.

When you visit the distillery, you can enjoy a complimentary whiskey tasting and tour. You'll find the tasting room open every Saturday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., but make sure you don't go hungry — there's no food sold on site. The good news, though, is that you can take your own picnic.

https://freyranch.com/

(775) 423-4000

1045 Dodge Ln, Fallon, NV 89406

In the east market district of Louisville, commonly known as NuLu, you'll find Rabbit Hole Distillery. Featuring a truly spectacular tasting room, it's set within an architecturally impressive building, which some have compared to a modern art museum. Rabbit Hole was founded and is run by Kaveh Zamanian, a man with a unique story, having begun his journey in Tehran before settling in Louisville. With the mantra of individuality and freedom of expression, Zamanian has created a distillery that has been named the best bourbon tour in the country. That's serious kudos, considering the quality of craft distilleries around the U.S.

It's not the first time the distillery has received the award. 2025 was the fourth year in a row that the World Travel Awards presented Zamanian with the highly coveted accolade. USA Today's 10Best also gave praise to Rabbit Hole, naming the distillery as the runner-up in the best craft distillery tour category in its 2024 awards. From the outside, the building design is one that impresses, while on the inside, you can expect to see grand staircases, a modern event space on the top floor, and the much-loved tasting room.

You can reserve a spot for a one-hour tour of the facility, which will set you back $32. New bookings are released 90 days in advance, and it's recommended to book early to avoid disappointment. This is a great example of a craft distillery that has introduced a modern take on what is a very traditional experience.

https://www.rabbitholedistillery.com/

(502) 561-2000

711 East Jefferson Street, Louisville, KY 40202

If you want to experience where the worlds of brandy and bourbon collide, head to the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. Here you'll find Copper & Kings, a distillery that has created a name for itself by developing exceptional American brandy. What sets this brandy apart from others you may find in the U.S. is that the distillery uses small-batch copper pot distillation and then ages the spirit in bourbon barrels.

What is even more unique about Copper & Kings is its use of sonic aging. Using the power of sound, via five subwoofers, music is played to the barrels each and every day. This causes a distillation wave, increasing the amount of contact time between the barrel walls and the spirit. If a high-quality American brandy is your cup of tea (or brandy), then Copper & Kings will be music to your ears. If you're looking for good old bourbon, you can get that as well.

As for the distillery experience, you can book a one-hour tour (which includes a comp cocktail) where you'll get to discover the distillery's iconic copper pot still room. On the rooftop, you'll find a bar that offers great views of the city. If it's award recognition you are after, USA Today 10Best has rated the craft brandy as one of the best in the country.

https://copperandkings.com/

(502)-561-0267

1121 E. Washington St., Louisville, KY, 40206

If you're planning a ski trip to Jackson Hole and looking for a unique experience to add to the list, make sure that Jackson Hole Still Works is included. As Jackson Hole's only local craft distillery, it attracts travelers from all over the U.S. Named as one of the best ski town distilleries in the country, it's particularly popular for producing exceptional vodkas and gins. If it's sloshies you're after, the frozen cocktail that you'll find all over Jackson Hole, then the distillery's take-out window will do just the job.

One reason to support the distillery is that it cares a lot for its community, especially the local artists. Each year, it holds the "Spirit of Wyoming" competition, where local artists can have their work featured on Jackson Hole Still Works vodka labels. As for its craft, Jackson Hole Still Works takes a small-batch spirit approach, only using local ingredients and the crisp mountain water that is available in the area.

You can book a tour of Jackson Hole Still Works at $15, with available schedules being 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. You'll find a shop on-site where you can buy anything from caps and patches to bar mats and pocket shots. It's a great craft distillery to visit if you're looking for a community-focused mountain distillery that takes a grain-to-glass approach.

https://www.jhstillworks.com/

(307) 699-8998

3940 South Eagle View Drive, Jackson, WY 83001

The nine craft distilleries featured here were carefully selected based on a combination of factors. Firstly, we looked for craft distilleries that had achieved critical acclaim, those awarded not only the major industry awards but the local ones as well. We also listened to what the spirit writers had to say, whether it was the quality of the spirit that each craft distillery produces or what the actual tasting room experience was like. Other factors, such as the quality of experience for the whole family, were factored in as well.

Lastly, it came down to our own personal assessment — did we think the spirit was actually any good? All of these factors combined came together to create this list of the best craft distilleries in the U.S. that you should visit. Whether it's an award-winning bourbon you're after or a unique tasting room experience that will add an interesting layer to your road trip, these craft distilleries are definitely worth adding to your travel list if you're visiting any of the locations listed here.