We’ve been doing posts here about all sorts of whiskey and it’s availability in North Carolina, but it’s about time we focused on actual North Carolina Whiskey distilleries and their brands. Consider this post our cornerstone piece for actual NC Whiskey.
What Type Of Whiskey Is Made In North Carolina?
North Carolina makes all sorts of whiskey, from moonshine to bourbon. The only types of whiskey you won’t see coming from this state are the types that are already specific to a different region, like Tennessee Whiskey or Scotch.
So, you can expect bourbon, corn whiskey, light whiskey, single malts, and plenty of those types of whiskey to be produced in NC. Having said that, not all the whiskey being sold by NC “distilleries” is actually distilled in North Carolina. Some distilleries buy the raw distillate to age their own way in the state. This is a perfectly fine way to produce whiskey, especially given the strict ABC laws in our state that might make it hard to get a permit. Some of today’s most popular whiskeys are produced this way (see MGP).
North Carolina Whiskey Brands
Now that we’ve gotten the basics out of the way, I’m going to try to list our distilleries below, with some links where possible. I will surely miss some of your favorite NC distilleries. Just leave a comment on this post and let me know what I’m missing, I’ll be happy to expand the list! You also might see some distilleries listed twice, in different sections. The brands listed here have filed a whiskey permit with the federal Tax and Trade Bureau since 2020.
NC Whiskey Distilleries
BHAWK, Southern Pines, NC
Southern Star, Statesville, NC
Great Wagon Road Distilling Company, Charlotte, NC
Old Nick Williams, Lewisville, NC
Creek Water, Durham, NC
Two Trees, Fletcher, NC
Olde Raleigh Distillery, Zebulon, NC
Oaklore Distilling Co., Matthews, NC
Mystic Farm and Distillery, Durham, NC
Lonerider Spirits, Raleigh NC
Next Century Spirits, Zebulon, NC
Southern Grace Distilleries, Mt. Pleasant, NC
Broad Branch Distillery, Winston Salem, NC
Weldon Mills, Weldon, NC
Warehouse Distillery, Newton, NC
The Clover, Madison, NC
Oak & Grist Distilling Co., Black Mountain, NC
Crux Distillery, Durham, NC
Seven Jars Distillery, Charlotte, NC
Rye Knot, Asheville, NC
Loping Crow, Albemarle, NC
End of Days Distillery, Wilmington, NC
Cook’s Mill, Alamance County, NC
Cape Fear Distillery, Elizabethtown, NC
Fainting Goat Spirits, Greensboro, NC
Buy North Carolina Whiskey
The best way to find North Carolina whiskey is from a local North Carolina ABC store. Most ABC stores in the state have an entire section devoted to North Carolina distilled spirits, and it’s always great to support your local board and build relationships there.
Most of these in-state distilleries have smaller operations and limited distributions. Every once a
Are we missing your favorite NC Distillery?
We try to do a good job keeping up, but if you notice a distillery missing from the list, please let us know. Leave a comment on this post or send us a message, and we’ll do our best to keep it up to date!
