Distilleries in New York

Warwick Valley Winery, Distillery & Orchard

Warwick, New York

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, a mash-up of farm and chemistry lab, has taken Warwick, New York, by storm.

• Distillery has multiple award-winning spirits.
• Black Dirt 4-year bourbon is a standout product.

Hartman's Distilling Co.

Buffalo, New York

Step inside Hartman's Distilling Co., a former cooperage in Buffalo where the smell of seasoned oak fights for dominance with the metallic clang of copper stills. Justin runs the place like a mad scientist with a grain fetish, turning West-New-York wheat, rye and barley into bourbons that taste as if Kentucky had politely knocked on their door. The gin is unapologetically citrus-forward, and the loganberry vodka screams “look at me” without the pretension.

• Industrial‑chic setting overlooking the copper stills
• House bourbon noted as “smooth as silk”

Kings County Distillery

Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York

Kings County Distillery sits in the Paymaster Building of Brooklyn’s Navy Yard. It is the oldest craft whiskey operation in New York City, having withstood Prohibition like a sea-turtle that refuses to quit.

• Distillery tours offer insight into process details.
• Expert guides provide engaging, knowledgeable experiences.

The Albany Distilling Company Bar and Bottle Shop

Albany, New York

Albany, New York hosts a no-nonsense craft distillery that throws old-world industrial grit against modern spirits, offering everything from peat-kissed whisky to citrus-bright gin.

• Exposed bricks add unique rustic charm
• Collaboration beers with local breweries notable

Saint Lawrence Spirits Château

Clayton, New York

Clayton, New York – Saint Lawrence Spirits has earned three New York State Distillery of the Year titles, proving that a family-run operation can be more than a marketing gimmick. They feed 100 % of the river’s water straight into a Vendôme copper pot still that looks as if it were imported from the 1800s. Ninety per cent of the grain comes from Jefferson County, so the spirit is genuinely local. The bourbon has won every major award it can snag, while the absinthe offers a tongue-twisting challenge for the bold.

• Private upstairs rooms with river views available
• Excellent service and hospitality offered

Orange County Distillery at Brown Barn Farms

New Hampton, New York

Orange County Distillery at Brown Barn Farms is the product of five generations of a family that turned black-dirt into a brand name in 2014. The loam of New Hampton, New York, is a breeding ground for grain and turnip-root mash that the locals grind and distil themselves, meaning each bottle is a harvest festival. You’ll find a rotating menu of daily specials that keep the bartenders busy, and they’re as keen on explaining why the first sip shouldn’t go straight to your mouth as a farmer is about perfect soil. The on-site food truck, Melt, transforms humble comfort food into a hug, while crackling fireplaces in the barn create a theatrical, cosy vibe. An outdoor deck under the stars makes for an ideal backdrop for weddings or a night. If you’ve not visited, you’re missing a slice of New York spirit-craft extra, even that will keep you guessing about what’s next.

• Unique daily drink specials and seasonal offerings
• Knowledgeable bartenders provide education on craft cocktails

Do Good Spirits

Roscoe, New York

Do Good Spirits, a hand-crafted distillery in Roscoe, New York, is the kind of place that would have you feel guilty for enjoying yourself, because every dram is earmarked for charities and veteran causes. The chaps take locally sourced grains and turn them into a whisky that can make a critic feel like a man in a whisky-laden bunker. Local ingredients give their whiskies a silky finish that will make the most jaded critic swoon. The gin is a barrel-proof beast – thick as a log-splitter – but balanced with enough botanicals to keep you from tipping over. Their bourbon, matching Kentucky standards, proves that the Catskills know their way around a mash. The bar itself isn’t about pretension; there’s live music, tables and seating that smells of pine. Tastings are delivered with a grin, not a lecture. The real prize? Knowing that each bottle buys a veteran some dignity.

• Distillery offers barrel proofed gin.
• Bourbon selection is comparable to Kentucky products.

Dark Island Spirits

Alexandria Bay, New York

Dark Island Spirits runs from a modest dock in Alexandria Bay, New York, where a family draws corn, rye and barley from neighboring farms straight into copper stills. While the fresh spirit rests in oak, curated tracks pulse through speakers — a practice they call “musical maturation.” The low-frequency hum allegedly coaxes the wood to unleash richer caramel notes and a lingering finish. The outcome: a bourbon humming with oak and a rum whispering Caribbean heat.

• Offers seasonal “Christmas in July” events.
• Provides detailed bourbon/whisky tasting instruction.

Union Grove Distillery and Arkville Brewstillery

Arkville, New York

Union Grove Distillery in Arkville, New York sits on the edge of the Catskills — mist-shrouded hills that could host a whisky’s dream. The Mulders, Brian and Penny, run this family-run outfit as if their spirits were exotic pets; each barrel gets the same care a good rabbit gets — gentle and full of character.

• Unique flavor profiles, like apple vodka.
• Excellent customer service with attention to detail.

Cooperstown Distillery Beverage Exchange at Saratoga

Saratoga Springs, New York

Cooperstown Distillery in Saratoga Springs proves New York’s barley can outshine that pretentious Scottish whisky. By day it masquerades as a boutique shop, shelves packed with craft vodkas, bitters and the odd ale — like a booze-laden Swiss Army knife. By night the place morphs into a speakeasy-turned-gastropub, where cocktails perform as though their ingredients were under hypnosis.

• Specialty whiskeys are a key part of experience.
• Unique tap beer deal offered during happy hour.

Cooperstown Distillery

Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown Distillery, tucked between sagging maple groves of Otsego County, makes no apologies for its name; it stands for quality and wit.

• Extensive line of spirits offered.
• Complimentary tastings available on premises.

Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing

Westfield, New York

Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing, hailing from the unsuspecting village of Westfield, New York, is the state’s first trinity-factory – winemaking, brewing, and distilling all rolled into one audacious mash-up. They mash local grain, hop, and fruit into small-batch spirits and beers that would make even the most blasé connoisseur squint.

• Unique whiskey selection in a non-typical Canadian context
• Wide variety of beers with creative offerings

Krooked Tusker Distillery

Hammondsport, New York

Set on the edge of a sleepy hamlet in New York, Krooked Tusker Distillery proves you can make a splash without the usual pomp. With a 300-gallon “Selu” mash-tun and a 260-gallon “Cha Cha” reflux still, they churn out award-winning bourbon, gin and vodka in truly small batches that taste as if they’ve been whispered into existence. Every month, a tidy 1 % of cocktail sales is donated to charity, so you can raise a glass and a conscience at the same time.

• Unique Sunday Bloody Mary bar
• Cocktail flights with fun options

Clayton Distillery

Clayton, New York

Clayton Distillery sits on a working farm in the Thousand Islands, where the only thing more earnest than the tractors is the spirit they churn out. Grain harvested a few miles away rolls through a copper pot still Mike built in Louisville before being hauled back for a double distillation. The result is a gin sharp on juniper enough to cut an argument, a bourbon that murmurs neighbour-sourced maple sap, and a moonshine tasting like fresh-cut corn on a summer afternoon.

• Signature bourbon cream, exceptionally smooth.
• Lemon moonshine packs a potent kick.

Cooper's Daughter Spirits

Claverack-Red Mills, New York

Don’t waste time on glasshouses pretending they’re noble. Cooper’s Daughter Spirits in Claverack-Red Mills is a half-brick, half-carriage-house that still refuses corporate control. A woman owns the place, and the whole operation is a family affair that turns orchard apples, odd botanicals and stubborn pride into vodka, bourbon and other spirits you’ll only find elsewhere if you’re willing to pay a premium.

• Unique charred maple syrup barrel aging process.
• Small-batch vodka, bourbon, and liquors variety.

Cooperstown Distillery Beverage Exchange

Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown Distillery Beverage Exchange in New York’s hamlet pretends to be a proper distillery but really doubles as a pub, a museum, and a shop all at once. By daylight you stumble in and are greeted by spirits, casks of beer, wine and cider, plus cocktail gadgets that could make a blush.

• Unique single-malt whiskey offerings
• Cozy atmosphere with couches available

Madison County Distillery

Cazenovia, New York

Madison County Distillery, sitting on a sprawling 80 acres in Cazenovia, New York, pretends the countryside still knows how to produce a proper drink. Their claim to fame is a “farm-to-bottle” ethic: organic produce, limestone-filtered spring water and an old-school approach that rejects the city’s sludge.

• Unique blend of flavors in drinks
• Reclaimed wood used in barn design

Dragonfyre Distillery

Marathon, New York

Dragonfyre Distillery in Marathon, New York, is a no-nonsense, pocket-sized bonfire of whiskey that would make a critic blush. Their flagship – a five-year-old single-barrel bourbon – comes from 10-gallon batches that feel more like a pocket-knife than a pot of brew. The result is a spirit that punches hard, with a complexity that outdoes anything you've tasted on a lonely highway stretch.

• Unique dragon-themed decor throughout the distillery.
• Expertise of master distiller evident in products.

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery

Fort Ann, New York

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery in Fort Ann, Adirondack foothills, refuses to be a bland tourist stop; it insists on handcrafted spirits as if they were holy. All the grain comes from nearby farms, and the copper pot still feels like it came straight out of a 19th-century shop – a touch more rustic than expected. Wooden pipelines run between the still and bottling, adding a subtle, warm character before the alcohol even hits your lips. The tasting room is larger than a typical bar, with a full bar that could give any local watering hole a run for its money. Live music sometimes spills into the open air, turning a simple drink into a festival. Their “Cowboy Coffee” is a surprising genuinely robust knockout, proving a good brew can be truly essential as the spirit itself. With operations expanding on-site, the distillery shows that great flavour can grow from modest beginnings.

• Large tasting room with tables and bar.
• Live music occasionally hosted at outdoor space.

BARRELHOUSE 6 DISTILLERY

Hammondsport, New York

Barrelhouse 6 Distillery in Hammondsport, New York, is the only spot to drown your nerves in something stronger than a bad day at the office. It sits smack-down on Keuka Lake, where the water is as pure as the spirits produced here. Their “grain-to-glass” creed is as honest as a plumber’s after-fixing-a-leak, turning local grain and mountain water into silky bourbons that would make a cynic swoon.

• Belt-driven fans create unique atmosphere.
• Unique artwork on labels sets brand apart.

Barn Dog Distillery

East Aurora, New York

East Aurora’s Barn Dog Distilling refuses to look like a speakeasy – it’s a family-run, country-crafted operation that only pretends to be a speakeasy for bored producers.

• Offers homemade pulled pork sandwich, brisket patty.
• In-house chef opportunity available for those interested.

Taconic Distillery, LLC

Stanfordville, New York

• Unique gift shop with souvenirs available
• Dog-friendly tasting room for customers

Long Island Spirits

Baiting Hollow, New York

• Unique live music events with scenic backdrop
• Wide variety of craft spirits and flavors

Black Sheep Distillery

Prattsburgh, New York

Prattsburgh, New York, where veterans are taking a crack at the spirits scene. Black Sheep Distillery grows its own apples, cherries, lavender, coriander and puts them into small-batch whiskies, gins and vodkas that refuse to be polite.

• Unique decor and art gallery-like atmosphere
• Delicious, unique, and well-crafted cocktails

Montauk Distilling Co.

Riverhead, New York

On the edge of the Atlantic, Montauk Distilling Co. has turned an old firehouse into a battleground for whiskey’s soul.

• Distillery is located in an old firehouse.
• Seasonal menu changes with unique theme ideas.

Orange County Distillery

Goshen, New York

Orange County Distillery in Goshen, New York, is a five-generation, family-run, farm-to-bottle operation that still believes in a decent hand-crafted spirit. They turn black-dirt bounty into vodka, whiskey and gin with a pride that would make even your stern grandmother nod in approval. Local grain, no fancy additives, and a stubborn insistence on quality put them in a league of their own, proving that you can still make something good in the 21st century.

• Offers "Farm to Bottle" spirits
• Agritainment experience at Brown Barn Farms

Birdseye Hollow Farm and Distillery

Hammondsport, New York

• Unique spirits and cocktails available.
• Cozy atmosphere perfect for special occasions.

Lake George Distilling Company

Fort Ann, New York

• Smoked flavor unique to distillery
• Apple pie moonshine a standout product

DikinDurt Distillery

Newport, New York

DikinDurt Distillery sits in the unremarkable Mohawk Valley, where local corn, barley and rye are mashed into something that feels like a respectable family heirloom and simultaneously the most unapologetic fire-spice the state has ever seen. Their “Mohawk Valley Fire” is a straight-shooter that reminds you of a stubborn protester at a rally; the “Honey Buzz Moonshine” is the sugary cousin that will tempt even the most disciplined of sweet-tooth devotees.

• Beautifully designed distillery with great atmosphere
• Unique and flavorful moonshine products

Sauvage Distillery

Charlotteville, New York

Charlotteville, New York – a village that will make you reconsider staying in London for a whisky night. Here, a small crew has taken the humble apple and turned it into vodka that might give you pause.

• Distillery focuses on quality ingredients.
• Expertly crafted apple vodka with distinct flavor.

Do Good Garage Bar & Eats @ Do Good Spirits Distillery

Roscoe, New York

Roscoe, New York – Do Good Spirits Distillery is the kind of place that pretends it’s the pinnacle of artisanal gin-making while actually running a charity for vets. A lonely patch of Catskill forest, the site turns every barrel of gin or bourbon-cream into a silent tribute, each bottle stamped with a faint banner of honour, quality and community.

• Unique craft cocktail offerings made in-house
• Variety of spirits produced on site daily

Woodlawn Distilling

Linwood, New York

Woodlawn Distilling sits on a 300-acre plot in Linwood, New York – the county’s first post-Prohibition farm distillery and a pure-brawn exercise in craftsmanship. The fourth-generation family turned a scarred red-barn into a production line for spirits that read more like clever puns than pretension.

• Handcrafted spirits made on the farm.
• Variety of flavors for cocktails.

Alton Distillery

Bethel, New York

Alton Distillery sits in Bethel, New York, where the Catskills look less like a bleak valley and more like a well-run laboratory for spirits. Their barley turns into bourbon that smokes like an old cigar, while the rye is crisp enough to remind you of fresh snowfall — nothing pretentious, just good taste.

• Rye whiskey is a signature product.
• Pet-friendly atmosphere is a unique feature.

Adirondack Distilling Company

Utica, New York

• Handmade bottling process is transparent.
• Tour provides intimate look at production.

Distillery

Alexandria, New York

• Small-batch production is a notable feature.
• Unique drinks options attract customers frequently.

Strickland Hollow Farm & Distillery

Meridale, New York

Meridale, New York – an old-fashioned, 1800s-era farmhouse-turned-distillery, Strickland Hollow, pretends that the Catskill Mountains still have time to craft spirits, and it does, more or less, with a respectable flourish.

• Distillery produces unique liquors with apples
• Farm offers exotic chickens and Scottish sheep

North Ridge Distillery

Medina, New York

If you’re hunting for a distillery that doesn’t shove you in a velvet-lined glassware museum, North Ridge in Medina, New York will do the trick. It’s a family-run operation that turns the orchard’s bounty into hand-crafted brandies, and they do it with the kind of honesty you’d expect from a honest-to-God farmer.

• Offers unique blend of apples and cigars
• Friendly customer service is key here

Delaware Phoenix Distillery

Walton, New York

• Unique flavor profile of its absinthe.
• Focus on humanistic and artistic aspects.

Brand Y Distillery

Cortland, New York

• Unique distilling process results in smoothness
• Vodka made from local farmers' market ingredients