USA TODAY 10Best
Best Craft Brandy Distillery: Huber's Starlight Distillery
Best Craft Brandy Distillery (2021)
Brandy is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part 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). Many of these distilleries work in small batches using locally sourced ingredients, including apples, pears and other fruits grown on nearby orchards or in partnership with local wineries.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Craft Brandy Distillery are as follows:
Photo courtesy of Copper & Kings
No. 10: Copper & Kings - Louisville, Kentucky
Copper & Kings in Louisville specializes in pot-still American brandies, distilled low and slow to maximize flavors without added flavors or colors. The Copper & Kings lineup includes three American brandies (made from distilled grapes), two apple brandies (one aged and one un-aged) and several brandies aged in craft beer and tequila barrels.
Photo courtesy of Santa Fe Spirits
No. 9: 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 this small-batch brandy, characterized by notes of apple peel, vanilla and cinnamon.
Photo courtesy of Long Road Distillers
No. 8: Long Road Distillers - Grand Rapids, Michigan
Long Road Distillers makes a small-batch brandy from fresh local apples sourced from the Fruit Ridge of West Michigan. The brandy spends nearly a year in used whiskey barrels to allow the flavors to develop and mellow.
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 Tamworth Distilling
No. 6: Tamworth Distilling - Tamworth, N.H.
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 (an ingredient) 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 Laird & Company
No. 5: Laird & Company - Scobeyville, New Jersey
Laird & Company specializes in apple spirits made from Virginia-grown, tree-ripened apples. The distillery makes several brandies, including a single cask selection, bottled-in-bond apple brandy and both aged and un-aged apple brandies.
Photo courtesy of Driftless Glen Distillery
No. 4: 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 onsite 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 Spirits of French Lick
No. 3: 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.
Photo courtesy of ruslanshramko // Getty Images
No. 2: Mastrogiannis Distillery - Lakewood, WA
Mastrogiannis Distillery in Washington offers its Baton Brandy as its first and permanent in-line signature brandy. Utilizing 100% crushed and fermented Washington Riesling grapes, the brandy is pot-distilled and aged in red 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 Huber's Starlight Distillery
No. 1: Huber's Starlight Distillery - Starlight, Indiana
Located at Huber’s Orchard, Winery & 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 ten years, while a small-batch peach brandy is distilled from home-grown peaches.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning distilleries!
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
Brian Christensen
Brian Christensen is the co-founder of Artisan... Read More
Brian Christensen is the co-founder of Artisan Spirit Magazine, the most trusted distilling trade journal in America, and the Still Talking Podcast, an irreverent distilling podcast his wife won’t even listen to. He is a member of multiple industry committees, advisor boards, and spirits competitions around the country. Brian is lucky enough to spend his days working with distillers, suppliers, state guilds, and industry associations around the world to tell stories that both inform and educate.
Brian Christensen
Brian Christensen is the co-founder of Artisan Spirit Magazine, the most trusted distilling trade journal in America, and the Still Talking Podcast, an irreverent distilling podcast his wife won’t even listen to. He is a member of multiple industry committees, advisor boards, and spirits competitions around the country. Brian is lucky enough to spend his days working with distillers, suppliers, state guilds, and industry associations around the world to tell stories that both inform and educate.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist... Read More
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Melanie Reffes
Melanie Reffes is a seasoned travel journalist specializing in the Caribbean. She is often circling the globe in search of a good story or racing through airports trying to make a flight. Melanie is a contributor to USA TODAY Travel and CaribbeanTravel.com, she covers the Caribbean for Montreal's The Suburban newspaper and she is the author of the blog The Caribbean Romance Report on MarryCaribbean.com and a contributor to the travel aviation publication Captain Jetson (captainjetson.com). When she's not taking five the under a palm tree, you'll find her at home on the sunny island of Montreal. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy... Read More
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America's most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
Ziggy Eschliman
Known on the airwaves as Ziggy the Wine Gal, Ziggy Eschliman is among America's most enthusiastic, authoritative and entertaining libation experts. Her internationally known company, ZigStyle, combines her artistry for wine country entertaining and gardening while integrating her expertise of wine & spirits, showcasing a unique lifestyle. For over 25 years Ziggy has set and reported trends in all things wine and spirits. Her radio shows are broadcast throughout wine country and are available online.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production... Read More
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
Catherine Smith
Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.
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.