Photo courtesy of svera // Getty Images
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.
Photo courtesy of Wyoming Whiskey
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.
Photo courtesy of Rogue Ales & Spirits
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.
Photo courtesy of Belfour Spirits
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.
Photo courtesy of Adam Milliron
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.
Photo courtesy of Alexander Kuzmin // Getty Images
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.”
Photo courtesy of igorr1 // Getty Images
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.
Photo courtesy of Limestone Branch
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.
Photo courtesy of Heaven Hill Distillery
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.
Photo courtesy of Virginia Distillery Co.
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.
Photo courtesy of Ironroot Republic
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.
The Experts
10Best Editors
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased… Read More
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
Dennis Malcolm “Ale” Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a… Read More
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, merchandise designer, and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover what he terms “the world’s best beverage” for more than two decades, his current media outlets include Thrillist.com, James Beard Foundation, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, USAToday, and others. Ale has also recently launched his own beer called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–alongside brewing giant New Belgium geared to support diversity and racial equality through various initiatives including their burgeoning BrewGether fund. Although a native New Yorker and a Cornell University alumnus, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton), Twitter (@alesharpton), and his website (Alesharpton,com)
Dennis Malcolm “Ale” Sharpton
Dennis Malcolm Byron aka Ale Sharpton is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event planner, merchandise designer, and beer judge to name a few of his roles. While passionately traveling the globe to cover what he terms “the world’s best beverage” for more than two decades, his current media outlets include Thrillist.com, James Beard Foundation, Craft Beer & Brewing, CraftBeer.com, USAToday, and others. Ale has also recently launched his own beer called Piano Keys–a chocolate vanilla imperial stout–alongside brewing giant New Belgium geared to support diversity and racial equality through various initiatives including their burgeoning BrewGether fund. Although a native New Yorker and a Cornell University alumnus, Ale proudly calls Atlanta his home. Follow Ale’s globetrotting adventures on his captivating Instagram (@realalesharpton), Twitter (@alesharpton), and his website (Alesharpton,com)
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music… Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy… Read More
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America’s most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America’s most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
Chuck Cowdery
The New York Times called Charles K. ‘Chuck’… Read More
The New York Times called Charles K. ‘Chuck’ Cowdery “the dean of American whiskey journalism.” He is a Kentucky Colonel, a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame (2009), the producer/director/writer of the public television documentary “Made and Bottled in Kentucky” (1992), a regular contributor to Whisky Advocate Magazine and Bourbon+ Magazine, and the editor and publisher of The Bourbon Country Reader, the oldest publication dedicated exclusively to American whiskey. Cowdery is the author of Bourbon, Strange: Surprising Stories of American Whiskey (2014), The Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste. The True Story of A. H. Hirsch Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Distilled in the Spring of 1974 (2012), and Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey (2004). Other books include Blues Legends (1995), 20 profiles of notable blues
musicians, and he was a contributor to 1001 Whiskies You Must Taste Before You Die (2012). He also wrote the ‘Bourbon’ article in The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Volume 7, Foodways (2007). In 2012, Cowdery was cited by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals as an expert on the history and marketing of American whiskey in Maker’s Mark v Diageo. He lives in Chicago, Illinois, near Wrigley Field, and is available for speaking appearances and guided tastings.
Chuck Cowdery
The New York Times called Charles K. ‘Chuck’ Cowdery “the dean of American whiskey journalism.” He is a Kentucky Colonel, a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame (2009), the producer/director/writer of the public television documentary “Made and Bottled in Kentucky” (1992), a regular contributor to Whisky Advocate Magazine and Bourbon+ Magazine, and the editor and publisher of The Bourbon Country Reader, the oldest publication dedicated exclusively to American whiskey. Cowdery is the author of Bourbon, Strange: Surprising Stories of American Whiskey (2014), The Best Bourbon You’ll Never Taste. The True Story of A. H. Hirsch Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Distilled in the Spring of 1974 (2012), and Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey (2004). Other books include Blues Legends (1995), 20 profiles of notable blues
musicians, and he was a contributor to 1001 Whiskies You Must Taste Before You Die (2012). He also wrote the ‘Bourbon’ article in The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Volume 7, Foodways (2007). In 2012, Cowdery was cited by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals as an expert on the history and marketing of American whiskey in Maker’s Mark v Diageo. He lives in Chicago, Illinois, near Wrigley Field, and is available for speaking appearances and guided tastings.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers’ Choice Awards Production… Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers’ Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers’ Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
