USA TODAY 10Best
Sip your way through the 10 best craft brandies
Best Craft Brandy (2023)
Brandy is making a comeback in popularity, thanks partly to renewed interest in classic cocktail recipes. The term "brandy" refers primarily to spirits distilled from wine, and more broadly to spirits distilled from fruits (also called "eau de vie").
To find the best craft brandy in the U.S., a panel of experts nominated their top picks, then readers voted for their favorites. Here are the winning distilleries.
Photo courtesy of Quaker City Mercantile
No. 10: Tamworth Distilling - Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth Distilling in New Hampshire uses local grain they mill themselves, pure water from a White Mountain aquifer, local herbs, botanicals, fruits and vegetables in their 250-gallon copper still to make some of the most unique spirits on the East Coast. Their Corpse Flower Durian Brandy is named for the durian fruit and the corpse flower, which walk a fine line between florid and putrid. Head distiller Steven Grasse says that his concoction’s unique floral taste is “purely divine when properly diluted.” You’ll have to try it and decide for yourself.
Photo courtesy of Mastrogiannis Distillery
No. 9: Mastrogiannis Distillery - Lakewood, Washington
Baton Brandy is the flagship barrel-aged brandy of Mastrogiannis Distillery in Washington. Made with 100% grapes, the brandy is pot-distilled and aged in ex-wine barrels for at least two years. The additional red fruit flavors from the barrels make the Baton Brandy ready to craft great brandy cocktails or easy to drink on its own.
Photo courtesy of Bethany Prochnow / Driftless Glen Distillery
No. 8: Driftless Glen Distillery - Baraboo, Wisconsin
The 5 Year Reserve Brandy from Driftless Glen Distillery in Wisconsin starts in France, where grapes are barreled and aged on-site for five years in French oak. The spirit is then brought to Wisconsin, where it’s cask-finished in bourbon barrels to add depth of flavor and color.
Photo courtesy of Korbel California Brandy
No. 7: Korbel - Guerneville, California
Korbel has been producing California brandy since 1889. This award-winning spirit is made from California grapes, distilled in small batches and aged in fire-charred oak barrels to produce a golden brandy with a rich butterscotch nose and a smooth finish.
Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Leary Photography
No. 6: Spirits of French Lick - West Baden Springs, Indiana
Indiana’s Spirits of French Lick distillery produces three different brandies: an apple brandy, Catawba grape juice brandy and an eau-de-vie infused with Marion blackberries. Their apple brandy honors the Southern Indiana brandy distilleries of the past and is fermented from the juice of freshly pressed Michigan apples.
Photo courtesy of Tyler Zoller
No. 5: Huber's Starlight Distillery - Starlight, Indiana
Located at Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards, Huber's Starlight Distillery uses estate-bottled wines to produce artisan European-style brandies and ports. Fresh blueberry juice is distilled into a wonderful blueberry liqueur that gets aged in red wine barrels for five to 10 years, while a small-batch peach brandy is distilled from homegrown peaches.
Photo courtesy of Copper & Kings
No. 4: Copper & Kings - Louisville, Kentucky
Copper & Kings in Louisville specializes in pot-still American brandies, distilled low and slow to maximize flavors without added sugars or colors. The Copper & Kings lineup includes three brandies: American Craft Brandy, Butchertown Brandy and American Apple Brandy.
Photo courtesy of Morgan Moutrie
No. 3: 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits - Vail, Colorado
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company – named for the men of the 10th Mountain Division who were deployed to Italy’s Apennines Mountains to battle the German army in January of 1945 – believes in giving back to those who serve. They support numerous organizations including Homes for Our Troops, Working Warriors Group and Heroes and Horses. They are nominated, though, for their remarkable 95 proof small-batch, handmade brandies. 10th Mountain Brandy is made from pinot noir grapes and aged 2 years in a single-use American Oak bourbon barrel. It's lightly sweet with hints of preserved fruits, cream and maple.
Photo courtesy of Santa Fe Spirits
No. 2: Santa Fe Spirits - Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe Spirits takes apples from their own orchard and blends them with fruit of neighboring New Mexico orchards to produce their Apple Brandy, characterized by notes of apple peel, vanilla and cinnamon.
Photo courtesy of AlexRaths // Getty Images
No. 1: DW Distilling - Walla Walla, Washington
This small batch craft distillery makes barrel-aged brandies using top local Walla Walla wines. The end result is a complex and smooth brandy that lets the notes of the original wine shine through.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Amber Love Bond
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage... Read More
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage and travel writer, who is always on the go and looking for her next adventure. After a decade-long career in corporate finance, she stumbled upon her passion for writing about the world around and hasn't looked back. Amber contributes to over a dozen print and digital publications including Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, Forbes, Eater, Southern Living, Miami New Times, HelloGiggles, Men’s Health, Fodor’s Travel Guide, and more. Typically you can find her at the opening of every restaurant, sipping cocktails at the coolest bars, or hanging out under a palm tree with her laptop (and a cocktail) in tow. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @amber__love.
Amber Love Bond
Amber Love Bond is a Miami-based food + beverage and travel writer, who is always on the go and looking for her next adventure. After a decade-long career in corporate finance, she stumbled upon her passion for writing about the world around and hasn't looked back. Amber contributes to over a dozen print and digital publications including Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, Forbes, Eater, Southern Living, Miami New Times, HelloGiggles, Men’s Health, Fodor’s Travel Guide, and more. Typically you can find her at the opening of every restaurant, sipping cocktails at the coolest bars, or hanging out under a palm tree with her laptop (and a cocktail) in tow. Follow her adventures on Instagram at @amber__love.
Dave Stamboulis
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer... Read More
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos have appeared in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to working for Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe.
Dave Stamboulis
Dave Stamboulis is a travel writer/photographer based in Bangkok. Born in Athens, Greece and growing up in the U.S., Dave first discovered Bangkok while on a 45,000-kilometer bicycle trip and moved there for good in 2005. Dave's photos have appeared in publications around the world. He's the author of Odysseus' Last Stand, which received the Silver Medal for Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers. In addition to working for Fodor's Guidebook to Thailand, he is the author of 500 Hidden Secrets to Bangkok, and his travel stories and photography appear in publications around the globe.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best 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
USA TODAY 10Best 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.