The Hands Down Best Distillery In Every State

For as long as humans have had to deal with the trials and tribulations of everyday life and, well, other humans, we've appreciated the fact that we can always opt to end the day with a glass of something nice and alcoholic. It's been this way for millennia — the history of fermentation and distilling goes back to somewhere around 800 B.C., and discoveries based in alchemy. That makes distilling kind of like magic, and a truly great distillery will have you believing so. The good news is that there are outstanding ones in every state.

Being familiar with the red flags that mark distilleries to avoid is important, but we want to talk about the other side of things and shine a spotlight on the best that every state has to offer. Choosing these was far from easy. 

To do so, we started with awards, picking distilleries that have taken home major accolades for multiple products, without giving preference to any particular type of spirit. We also looked for distilleries that had a definite connection to the state itself, whether that's sourcing state-grown grains and ingredients, paying homage to the area's distilling history, or creating fun flavor profiles inspired by regional specialities. The best are constantly innovating, have widely beloved flagship products, and are the bottles that you'll want to keep an eye out for.

Prohibition ended in 1933, but it wasn't until 2015 that Alabama got a whiskey distillery again. That's John Emerald Distilling Company, a family-run business. 

John Emerald puts out a Single Malt Whiskey named one of the South's best artisan products by Southern Living. Alabama-sourced ingredients are a priority, and in addition to awards for spirits, it's earned accolades for community involvement. 

johnemeralddistilling.com
(334) 737-5353
706 North Railroad Ave, Opelika, AL 36801

Alaska is a wild and rugged place, and if you've ever wondered what it would taste like in spirit form, Anchorage Distillery has you covered. The water is sourced from the state's glaciers while the grains are Alaskan-grown, and the results are award-winning whiskeys, gins, and vodkas. 

Alaska only started distilling in 2014, so this is a newcomer by necessity. You can now find these uniquely flavored spirits in other states.

anchoragedistillery.com
(907) 561-2100
6310 A St, Anchorage, AK 99518

The folks at Arizona Distilling Co. are no strangers to awards. Its Desert Dry Gin alone earned accolades, including a Double Gold at the San Francisco Spirits Competition and a silver medal in London's Spirit Masters series. 

The distillery's gin is the perfect example of it's Arizona-forward ethos as all botanicals are grown in the north of the state. The vodka has brought home a Double Gold, too. 

azdistilling.com
(480) 921-2487
155 W Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201

Delta Dirt Distillery is steeped in history and tradition. Award-winning vodka and gin have been joined by flagship bourbon releases, and it's a family-owned spot with roots that go back through generations of sharecroppers. 

Today, the family land is used to grow sweet potatoes that get turned into spirits, and that's a tradition, too. Owner Harvey Williams Jr. was already in the business when he learned the family had a history of moonshining.

deltadirtdistillery.com
(870) 662-5709
430 Cherry St, Helena, AR 72342

Spirit Works was named Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute in 2020. It puts out award-winning spirits like a straight wheat whiskey and a barrel reserve sloe gin. 

It's this place that's credited with bringing sloe gin to the U.S. in a big way. Everything starts with California grains and gets wrapped up in a place known for innovation, community involvement, and leading the way in defining artisan spirits.

spiritworksdistilling.com
(707) 731-9667
6790 McKinley St, #100, Sebastopol, CA 95472

Crack open a bottle from Breckenridge Distillery, and you'll be sampling liquor made from Rocky Mountain snows. The other ingredients are state-sourced, and include peaches from Palisade. 

The results speak for themselves and have put this place among the most awarded distilleries in the country. Its vodka earned top honors at the World Vodka Awards. 

breckenridgedistillery.com
(970) 547-9759 Ext. 2
1925 Airport Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424

Fifth State Distillery has been named Connecticut Gin Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. This family-owned and operated spot uses grains sourced from Connecticut family farms, many of which have been going for generations. 

Creative gin offerings spotlight passion fruit, orange, and Madagascar green peppercorns. The maple whiskey shines as a flavor that's pure New England.

fifthstatedistillery.com
(203) 258-3422
259 Asylum St, Bridgeport, CT 06610

Visit Painted Stave and you'll find a cocktail garden, outdoor seating, and a taco truck in residency. Check out the list of accolades, and for honors including a whiskey named Best Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey by the American Distilling Institute. 

When it came time, Lost Lantern Whiskey selected distilleries for its United States of Bourbon. This blended bourbon sourced from a distillery in each state — and this one made the cut.

paintedstave.com
(302) 653-6834
106 W Commerce St, Smyrna, DE 19977

The excellently named Wicked Dolphin is in the same league as the country's best. A 3-year-old rum, it's taken home high-caliber awards to earn its place.

There's a lot of hard work that was validated by the Double Gold in the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and that's just one of many earned by this family-run distillery. Florida-grown ingredients include the cane sugar that grows a stone's throw from where it's processed.

wickeddolphin.com
(239) 242-5244
131 SW 3rd Place, Cape Coral, FL 33991

In 2025, Thirteenth Colony Distilleries celebrated a fifth Best of Georgia win. When you look at the slew of other awards, it's easy to see why. 

This distillery things special by making the climate work for it: Cold winters and hot summers mean a faster, more in-depth maturation process for whiskey and bourbon. It's turned a small-scale family project into a massively popular endeavor. 

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

There are some really neat things going on at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery. A partner of the Pacific Whale Foundation, it has a focus on environmental sustainability. 

This place is growing its own sugar cane, and using deep ocean mineral water for its vodka. There are organic rums and gin to be found here, too, rounding up a lineup that's gotten national attention. 

oceandistillery.com
(808) 877-0009
4051 Omaopio Rd, Kula, HI 96790

When you pick up a bottle from Grand Teton Distillery, you're getting a product made from Idaho potatoes and mountain spring water. 

That flagship vodka took home the coveted Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2013 — two years after the facility first got up and running. Things could only get more Idaho-inspired if there was a huckleberry vodka ... and there is. Bourbon and single malt whiskey have also been added.

tetondistillery.com
(208) 354-7263
1755 ID-33, Driggs, ID 83422

FEW Spirits is using local grains to put out award-winning products inspired by the state. That includes things like the Chicago Smokeworks Whiskey, a nod to by the city's industrial past. 

This distillery's rye whiskey has been named Craft Whiskey of the Year by Whisky Advocate, and we have to mention the great story here. Prohibition may have done irreparable damage to the U.S., but today, this distillery has set up shop in the city that was once the center of the Temperance Movement and the home of activist Frances Elizabeth Willard. Do with those initials as you will. 

fewspirits.com
(847) 920-8628
918 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60202

Hard Truth Distilling Co. is making sweet mash whiskey. This means that unlike sour mash whiskey, no mash is reused and all grains, water, and yeast are added fresh. 

Sweet mash bourbon was added here in 2024, and made such a splash that Robb Report placed it on the list of greatest bourbons of the century. Also? Add an award-winning distillery tour. 

hardtruth.com
(812) 720-4840
418 Old State Rd 46, Nashville, IN 47448

Lonely Oak Distillery is a working farm that's growing the grain for those spirits. At this seed-to-spirit craft distillery, everything that goes into the bourbon, vodka, and no-added-sugar flavored vodkas comes from the farm and a group of trusted local growers. 

This has resulted in national attention and accolades from the American Craft Spirits Association and the North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition. 

lonelyoakdistillery.com
(712) 579-6756
1833 Elmwood Rd, Earling, IA 51530

Local and Midwestern grains are the name of the game at Union Horse Distilling Co., a distillery that promises innovation. Its products include the Rivalist American Single Malt whiskey.

This whiskey is a Double Gold winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2024, continuing a long tradition of awards and accolades. The bourbon was name-dropped by Wine Enthusiast as one of the best spirits in the world back in 2016.

unionhorse.com
(913) 492-3275
11740 W 86th Terrace, Lenexa, KS 66214

Buffalo Trace just keeps earning awards upon awards. In 2022, it was named both American Distiller of the Year and Distiller of the Year, an international award given by Whisky Magazine. 

This distillery is putting out some of the most beloved bourbons of all time, and with more than 40 different bottles to choose from, there's something for everyone. It's hard not to love that.

buffalotracedistillery.com
(800) 654-8471
113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601

There are plenty of awards that Seven Three Distilling can boast of, but we love this placethe stories. The name is a reference to NOLA's 73 neighborhoods, and spirits are steeped in history. 

The botanicals of Gentilly Gin harken back to the remedies of Cajun faith healers, while the St. Roch vodka is named for a saint said to have protected an entire parish from yellow fever. It's history and accolade-laden spirits in one.

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

The name of Cold River is a reference to the river that's the source of water for some highly-lauded vodka. It's been named as one of the best in the world at the World Spirits Competition, and there's a lot that's going into each bottle. 

Vodka starts with whole, Maine-grown potatoes on a scale small enough that each bottle is numbered. The process is referred to as ground-to-glass, and there's a focus on sustainability, too.

coldrivervodka.com
(207) 865-4828
437 US Route One, Freeport, ME 04032

The New York International Spirits Competition named McClintock Distilling Company Maryland's Distillery of the Year in 2020. That was just one of a slew of accolades it earned.

Heirloom grains are used in this line of spirits that harkens back to the days and distilling before Prohibition, and it's resulted in neat products like the Forager's Gin, Bootjack Rye Whiskey, and Epiphany Vodka. Maryland-sourced grains are front and center, and that's gotten this place even more buzzy press. 

mcclintockdistilling.com
(301) 825-5921
35 South Carroll St, Frederick, MD 21701

Berkshire Mountain Distillers is sourcing its water from mountain springs, and water is so pure that in the 19th century it was believed to have healing properties. It's now making award-winning spirits.

The distillery's Greylock Gin was named best in the country by The New York Times, and there's vodka, rum, and whiskey here, too. You'll be hard-pressed to find a spirit that captures the essence of New England better than a bourbon aged in maple syrup casks.

berkshiremountaindistillers.com

(413) 229-0219

356 South Main St, Sheffield, MA 01257

Long Road Distillers is sourcing the best regional ingredients and living up to the name: a promise to take no shortcuts is the motto here. It's an ethos that earned a Distillery of the Year nod at the Berlin International Spirit Competition.

It's putting out a gin that's been named the best in the world. Pick up the brightly-colored (and color-changing) Sovereign Gin, apple brandy made with Michigan-grown fruit, or even a bottle of absinthe. 

longroaddistillers.com

(616) 228-4924

537 Leonard St, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

In Minnesota, it was a Benedictine monk named Brother Justus who helped keep the moonshine flowing during Prohibition. Today, the distillery that bears his name is pure Minnesota, from the water sourced from the Mississippi River to the locally grown grains and barrels made from the state's white oak forests.

The Cold-Peated American Single Malt in particular has gotten high praise, with flavors imparted by peat harvested from the state's ancient bogs. 

brotherjustus.com

(612) 886-1658 

3300 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55418

At Cathead Distillery, spirits like the Old Soul Bourbon pay tribute to great musicians of blues, while some of the proceeds are donated to nonprofits in support of the arts. 

Funky spirits like the Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur are fan favorites, and there's been some high-profile press here, too. In 2020, the distillery earned attention from the James Beard Foundation and a semifinalist spot in the Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Producer category.

catheaddistillery.com

(601) 667-3038

422 S Farish St, Jackson, MS 39201

StilL 630 spirits include whiskey and gin that have been named best in the nation by the American Craft Spirits Association and the American Distilling Institute, respectively. Other spirits like rum and brandy have earned a fair share of awards, too.

Local ingredients, handmade pot stills, and time-consuming methods lead to offerings that won't be overlooked, and StilL 630 is one of the most highly awarded distilleries in the country.

still630.com

(314) 513-2275

1000 South 4th St, St. Louis, MO 63104

Ingredients from corn to juniper and huckleberries are grown in-state, and it's resulted in award-winning bourbon, whiskey, and gin. 

No other distillery in Montana is bringing home the praise like this WildRye Distilling, in fact, dominating SIP Magazine's Best of the Northwest show in 2026. The Apple Pie Liqueur and Cherry Brandy were among winners, made with locally sourced honey and ultra-hardy cherry types that can survive the state's unforgiving climate. 

wildryedistilling.com

(406) 577-2288

111 E Oak St, Bozeman, MT 59715

Loup River Distilling is using corn that's grown on the founders' family farm, while the aging process aided by hot summers and cold winters turns spirits into something special. There's one exception.

Hooch — unaged whiskey — is also a part of the lineup, a nod to moonshining traditions. The rye whiskey, meanwhile, earned top honors at the American Craft Spirits Association's 2025 Heartland Whiskey Competition. 

loupriverdistilling.com

(308) 754-2242

503 Howard Ave, St Paul, NE 68873

The folks behind Frey Ranch have more than 170 years of family history in the farming industry. All grains destined for the distillery are grown on their 2,500-acre farm, and the addition was a labor of love that took years to come to fruition.

It's earning awards in pretty much any and every competition you care to name. Products like the rye whiskey have earned a coveted Double Gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 

freyranch.com

(775) 423-4000

1045 Dodge Lane, Fallon, NV 89406

Cathedral Ledge Distillery is certified gluten-free as well as USDA Organic. Fan favorites include a maple liqueur and a bourbon finished in maple casks, in true New England fashion.

Meanwhile, the gin earned this place the title of New Hampshire Gin Distillery of the Year from the New York International Spirits Competition in 2021. 

cathedralledgedistillery.com

(603) 730-5696

3340 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, NH 03860

There's no shortage of buzzy press around Asbury Park Distilling Company, and it's gin that's front and center here. In addition to an American-style gin, there's also a barrel-aged gin that's perfect for substituting in cocktails that traditionally call for bourbon.

The standard gin earned Best in Class at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, taking top honors over a slew of international competitors. 

apdistilling.com

(732) 455-3934

527 Lake Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

As the name suggests there's beer and spirits made at Red River Brewery & Distillery. Everything starts with ultra-pure water from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and the extreme elevation means spirits come out smoother thanks to a lower boiling point during distillation. 

The Silver King Vodka has been an award-winning fan favorite for years, while the tequila, bacanora, gin, and sotol have also earned some wildly respectable honors.

redriverbrewing.com

(575) 754-4422

217 West Main St, Red River, NM 87558

Saint Lawrence Spirits has been named New York State Distillery of the Year three years in a row. Highly lauded spirits include cognac barrel-aged whiskey and rye moonshine, and part of the secret is the distillery's on-demand grain processing that guarantees the freshness. 

Those ingredients are sourced from the distillery's farm and area farmers, while some proceeds go to preserving the same river that supplies the water.

saintlawrencespirits.com

(315) 285-5224

38289 NYS Route 12E, Clayton, NY 13624

No distillery in North Carolina has won the number of awards that Weldon Mills Distillery has taken home in recent years, and it's one of the best in the country. In 2026, it added a Best Woman Distiller award from the International Women's Spirit Competition to that list of honors, thanks to distiller Kaylin Pulley. 

Spirits are made with local ingredients and water from the Roanoke River, and include a Caramel Green Apple Whiskey, and a Royal Rhubarb Gin.

weldonmills.com

(252) 220-4235

100 Rockfish Dr, Weldon, NC 27890

Proof Artisan Distillers has been named best in North Dakota for several years at the Heartland Whiskey Competition, and it broke ground when it released the first legal bourbon in state history. Local grains aren't the only star of the show.

Visit the tasting room, and you'll mosey on up to a 19th century hand-carved bar saved from demolition and given new life. 

proofdistillers.com

(701) 639-4600

414 4th Ave, Fargo, ND 58102

One of the most-awarded distilleries in the country in 2026, High Bank Distillery has gotten a slew of accolades including best blended whiskey in the U.S. from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition — and it broke a record when it took the title three years running.

The vodka has been called among the best in the world. It's only fitting for a distillery not far from the seat of the Anti-Saloon League that spearheaded the push for Prohibition. 

highbankdistillery.com

(614) 826-5347

1051 Goodale Blvd, Columbus, OH 43212

WanderFolk was founded with the goal of putting Oklahoma spirits on the national map, and it's doing that with celebrated bourbons, gins, and liqueurs. In addition to buzzworthy spirits and competition show wins, neat branding puts Oklahoma lore front and center.

The Same Old Moses Bourbon comes with a history lesson, and pays homage to the 19th century proprietor of Oklahoma's first bar. 

wanderfolkspirits.com

(405) 445-6448

124 East Oklahoma Ave, Guthrie, OK 73044

There's a lot of funky stuff going on at Westward Whiskey, including using ale yeast in whiskeys. This place makes headlines for fun expressions like a sourdough whiskey, and it's been lauded as setting the bar for American single malts. 

Expect it to sweep competitions it enters, and it's gotten so many accolades it's often elevated alongside the best Scotland has to offer. 

westwardwhiskey.com

(503) 235-3174

65 SE Washington St, Portland, OR 97214

You don't think of Pennsylvania for the best rum in the country? You should, because Maggie's Farm Rum has amassed stacks of gold medals, double gold medals, and other accolades that include multiple Best in Show wins from the American Craft Spirits Association. 

Spirits here skip the traditional reliance on molasses and use turbinado sugar along with Caribbean yeasts, for rums that are blended and aged to perfection. 

maggiesfarmrum.com

(412) 709-6480

3212A Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

The Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. earned top honors at the World Gin Awards in 2016 and the title of American Craft Producer of the Year from Whisky Magazine in 2017. More accolades followed, and 2023 saw the coffee-flavored whiskey named best in the country. 

This one continues to be a fan favorite among consumers, and earned a people's choice award from Rhode Island Monthly readers for best drinks. 

drinksol.com

(401) 284-4006

1425 Kingstown Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879

Some distilleries are making a long-lasting impact on the industry. That happened at High Wire Distilling Co., credited as being the driving force that helped save an entire variety of heritage corn. 

Spirits are so highly regarded that the James Beard Foundation has nominated them for multiple awards. The Jimmy Red Bourbon is a must, made with that old-school heirloom corn.

highwiredistilling.com

(843) 755-4664

311 Huger St, Charleston, SC 29403

Dakota Spirits Distillery is proof that good things come to those who wait, and this place was years in the making. The family-owned spot overcame one obstacle after another to put out accolade-achieving spirits, including an oat whiskey.

Through it all, it stayed true to founding principles of using grains grown in South Dakota, water drawn from the Missouri River, and small batch products. 

dakotaspirits.com

(605) 494-1009 

3601 Airport Rd, Pierre, SD 57501

Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey is one of the best whiskeys to try if you like Jack Daniel's, and it makes sense: the entire brand is a tribute to the forgotten founder of Tennessee whiskey, Nathan "Nearest" Green. It also makes sense the bourbon here is regularly named among the best in the world. Descendants of Green are still hard at work at the distillery, ensuring that the awards continue to roll in.

unclenearest.com

(615) 928-1917

3125 US-231 N, Shelbyville, TN 37160

A major competition upset happened back in 2013 when a single malt whiskey from Texas's Balcones Distilling snatched top honors away from Scotland's best at a London-based blind tasting. It's continued to take titles like American Craft Whisky Distillery of the Year, with scores of spirits boasting a colorful array of medals. The Baby Blue whiskey is the state's first since Prohibition, and stands apart thanks to the use of heirloom blue corn.

thebar.com/en-us/brands/balcones

(254) 755-6003

225 S 11th St, Waco, TX 76701

High West Distillery has the distinction of being one of the best craft distillery experiences in the U.S. Visitors delve into this state's distilling history along with seeing the cutting-edge processes going on today. It's previously received titles like Pioneer of the Year and Distiller of the Year from Whisky Advocate, proving that sometimes, there are some sourced bourbons out there that should definitely be on your radar.

highwest.com

(435) 649-8300

27649 Old Lincoln Hwy, Wanship, UT 84017

When it comes time to give kudos for Barr Hill's wildly successful gin — the most heavily-awarded in the country — the distillery gives credit where it's due. The focus here is on the pollinators that make their raw honey, wildflowers, and botanicals possible, but there's more than just stellar gin to be found here. In 2024, the distillery's bar had the honor of being the state's first to be nominated for a James Beard Award. 

barrhill.com

(802) 472-8000

116 Gin Lane, Montpelier, VT 05602

The folks over at Virginia Distillery Co. have a massive claim to fame: they're behind one of the most award-winning single malt whiskeys in the country. It was initially the passion project of Dr. George G. Moore, and when Moore died two years after the company's founding, his son stepped up to run things. He's done so to critical acclaim that includes honors like Distillery of the Year and Whisky of the Year from the London Spirits Competition.

vadistillery.com

(434) 285-2900

299 Eades Lane, Lovingston, VA 22949

The American Distilling Institute is one of the premier organizations in the liquor industry. When it decided to take stock of the companies it had handed the most awards to, Heritage Distilling Company was right there at the top. Of the slew of products currently available, there's one you've probably heard of: Cocoa Bomb Whiskey. Gold Medals, Best of Class designations, and top honors as the best flavored whiskey in the country from the World Whiskies Awards in 2026 are just some of the accolades.

heritagedistilling.com

Appalachian pride is on full display at Smooth Ambler, the distillery that set out to prove West Virginia can turn out some seriously stellar bourbon and whiskey. It's safe to say that the folks here succeeded in a big way, especially when the distillery's Old Scout brought home the title of World's Best Single Barrel Bourbon in 2016. Don't sleep on the Founders' Cask Strength rye-forward bourbon, made in-house from West Virginia grains.

smoothambler.com

(304) 497-3123

745 Industrial Park Rd, Maxwelton, WV 24957

There's a lot of neat things happening at Driftless Glen Distillery, including several dozen different types of spirits. Awards have come fast and furious for aged and port-finished bourbons, rye whiskey, and even brandy. That last one travels many miles before it makes it to your glass: it's made and aged in France before being finished in Wisconsin.

driftlessglen.com

(608) 356-4536

300 Water St, Baraboo, WI 53913

Wyoming Whiskey prides itself on capturing the essence of the state in a glass, and it's had an interesting journey. It was taken under the wing — and partial ownership — of The Macallan, and in 2026, it was reacquired by Wyoming-based owners. 

Awards spoke to success — including World Whiskies Awards win for best non-Kentucky small batch bourbon. Bottles are also doing some good, and some sales proceeds go to charitable organizations dedicated to preserving the state's wild national parks.

wyomingwhiskey.com

(307) 864-2116 

120 E Main St, Kirby, WY 82430

There are plenty of outstanding distilleries all across the country, so narrowing down to the best was a challenge. We looked for distilleries that were sourcing ingredients from in-state, that were paying homage to an area's unique history — distilling or otherwise — and forming partnerships with communities and charities in their state. The best of the best are putting out a variety of spirits, winning awards consistently, and creating spirits with an eye toward innovation and creativity as well as tradition.