USA Today 10 Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distilleries 2017

USA TODAY 10 BEST

Tamworth Distilling, Huber’s Starlight Distillery, Proof Artisan Distillers and Black Button Distilling also winners

Gin, vodka, rum and whiskey are great and all, but the American thirst for craft spirits has grown beyond the bounds of the traditional to embrace specialty spirits from around the globe. Modern day distilleries now craft liqueur, brandy, absinthe, aquavit and amaro alongside their flagship spirits.

We asked a panel of American spirits experts to nominate 20 of the best craft specialty spirits distilleries in the USA, and four the past four weeks, our readers have been voting daily for their favorites. Many of these distilleries work in small batches using locally-sourced ingredients. Many are family-owned. All take pride in crafting unique spirits worthy of sipping as well as mixing.

The top 10 winners in the category Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery are as follows:

1. Long Road Distillers – Grand Rapids, Mich.
2. Tamworth Distilling – Tamworth, N.H.
3. Huber’s Starlight Distillery – Starlight, Ind.
4. Proof Artisan Distillers – Fargo, N.D.
5. Black Button Distilling – Rochester, N.Y.
6. Lockhouse Distillery – Buffalo, N.Y.
7. Headframe Spirits – Butte, Mont.
8. Napa Valley Distillery – Napa, Calif.
9. Copper & Kings – Louisville
10. Allegheny Distilling – Pittsburgh

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Emily Arden Wells (Gastronomista), Brian Christensen (Artisan Spirit Magazine), Laura Johnson (Distillerista) and Arthur Shapiro (Booze Business) were chosen based on their knowledge and experience of the American craft spirits industry.

Congratulations to all these winning distilleries!