5 Craft Distilleries You’ll Wish You Visited Sooner
Craft Distilleries You Can’t Skip in 2025
Craft distilleries are stealing the whiskey spotlight, and these five are too good to sleep on. Small batches, big stories—they’re pouring history into every glass. Here’s why Starlight, Ben Holladay, New Riff, Chattanooga, and Still Austin are your 2025 must-visits, straight from their own roots.
Starlight Distillery – Borden, Indiana
Founded in 2001 by Ted Huber on a family farm dating to 1843, Starlight Distillery (starlightdistillery.com) turns 700 acres into whiskey gold. Their Straight Bourbon ($45) and Peach Whiskey ($40) use estate grains and fruits—orchard roots make them unique.
Ben Holladay – Weston, Missouri
Started in 1856 and revived in 2015, Ben Holladay (holladaydistillery.com) honors its Stagecoach King namesake. Their Bottled-in-Bond ($60) ages six years in Missouri oak with local corn—a Midwest legacy in every pour.
New Riff Distillery – Newport, Kentucky
Launched in 2014 by Ken Lewis, New Riff (newriffdistilling.com) sticks to Bottled-in-Bond rules for their Bourbon ($50) and 6-Year Malted Rye ($65). High-rye mash bills and no shortcuts set them apart near Kentucky’s bourbon core.
Chattanooga Whiskey – Chattanooga, Tennessee
Since 2011, Chattanooga Whiskey (chattanoogawhiskey.com) broke a 100-year dry spell and pushed to remove prohibition-era laws in the city of Chattanooga, founded by Tim Piersant. Their 91 ($40) and Cask 111 ($50) use local grains and toasted barrels—Tennessee craft with a twist.
Still Austin Whiskey Co. – Austin, Texas
Opened in 2015 by founders Chris Seals, Andrew Braunberg, and Nancy Fraley, Still Austin (stillaustin.com) uses 100% Texas grains for their Cask Strength Bourbon ($60) and The Musician ($40). Austin’s first post-Prohibition distillery brings Lone Star grit.
Why These Five Are Unmissable
Small-scale history meets bold whiskey—by 2025, these craft spots prove size doesn’t limit flavor. Visit them before the secret’s out. Want to taste their craft? Check out NEAT: Whiskey Finder—it’ll help you track down bourbon and whiskey near you.
