USA TODAY 10Best
From small batch to big flavor: 10 craft gin distilleries in the US you need to know about
Best Craft Gin (2023)
Gin gets its name from "genievre," the French word for "juniper." Popular worldwide, this spirit begins with a neutral base spirit distilled with an array of botanicals (no longer just juniper berries) to give it its distinct aroma and flavor profile.
We asked a panel of experts to nominate their top craft gin distilleries, then readers voted for the 10 best. Many of these work in small batches using locally sourced ingredients, some are family-owned, and most distill their base spirits using a blend of traditional and modern techniques. All take pride in crafting unique gins worthy of sipping as well as mixing into a classic gin and tonic.
Photo courtesy of Caledonia Spirits
No. 10: Barr Hill - Montpelier, Vermont
Barr Hill Gin, distilled by Caledonia Spirits, uses pure grain spirits infused with juniper berry and raw northern honey, added just before bottling to impart a subtle floral quality. Their Tom Cat Gin gets barrel-aged for four to six months in new charred American oak to give it whiskey-like notes.
Photo courtesy of McClintock Distilling
No. 9: McClintock Distilling - Frederick, Maryland
Gin enthusiasts have three varieties to choose from at McClintock Distilling. The botanical-forward Forager Gin is vapor-infused with ingredients inspired by the Appalachian wilderness. The bright and light Gardener’s Gin is made with citrus peel, lavender, cucumber and hibiscus, and rests in Madeira wine casks. Sipping-style McClintock’s Reserve rests in XO cognac casks imported from France.
Photo courtesy of Rob Sergent
No. 8: Alpine Distilling - Park City, Utah
Alpine Distilling’s Summit Gin is distilled in a custom-built still using vapor extraction to yield a balanced gin perfect for both sipping or mixing. The botanical spread includes juniper, coriander, angelica root, ginger, cardamom and citrus peel.
Photo courtesy of monkeybusinessimages // Getty Images
No. 7: Deviation Distilling - Denver, Colorado
Deviation is a Colorado gin and whiskey distillery set in an 1800s former firehouse in Denver's vibrant Dairy Block. Deviation features a lineup of handcrafted gins: the Citrus Rosé is made with malted barley mash, while the Mountain Herb is made with wild foraged Rocky Mountain botanicals, and the unique Spice Trade gin is crafted with malted rye, Szechuan peppercorns and Thai basil. The lounge here offers gin flight tasters of their top selections.
Photo courtesy of Gray Whale Gin
No. 6: Gray Whale Gin - Sebastopol, California
Gray Whale Gin begins with a six-times distilled corn spirit, infused with organic-farmed and wild-foraged botanicals in the pot still or a vapor basket. The spirit then undergoes a seven-step botanical distillation. One percent of sales goes toward environmental causes.
Photo courtesy of andresr // Getty Images
No. 5: Big Cypress Distillery - Miami, Florida
This made-in-Miami outfit offers their Magic City XXI gin, so named for its use of 21 different botanicals, including saffron, ginger, grapefruit peel and lemon balm. Big Cypress also does a seasonal sloe gin liqueur, mixing spices with mangrove honey and barrel aging it.
Photo courtesy of Douglas Merriam
No. 4: Los Poblanos Botanical Spirits - Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico
Los Poblanos is a historic inn, organic farm and a showcase for their homemade botanical spirits, served in their Town and Ranch tasting lounge. Their western dry gin combines 16 botanicals from the Rio Grande Valley, while their lavender gin spotlights the soothing properties of the herb.
Photo courtesy of Kasey Walker Minnick
No. 3: Six & Twenty Distillery - Greenville, South Carolina
Small West Greenville is the home of Six & Twenty, a still house and cocktail bar. Their Double Made Gin utilizes a New World production style in which botanicals are steeped overnight to produce deep juniper notes, and then the gin is vapor-infused to highlight citrus and floral flavors.
Photo courtesy of St. George Spirits
No. 2: St. George Spirits - Alameda, California
This Bay Area artisanal distillery is housed in a giant airplane hangar that was a former naval station. Their Terroir Gin was inspired by California hiking trails and uses iconic California Douglas fir, while their Botanivore Gin is made up of 19 different botanicals. Their Dry Rye gin is malty and thick, perfect for Negronis.
Photo courtesy of Revivalist Botanical Gins
No. 1: Revivalist Botanical Gin - Elverson, Pennsylvania
Housed in what they affectionately have nicknamed the "Hippie Barn," the Revivalists are shaking things up with their award-winning gin. The philosophy behind their dry, juniper-forward and seasonally inspired gins is "is rooted in radical curiosity, bold experimentation, and love for one-of-a-kind experiences."
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 Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels... Read More
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
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.
Geneva Ives
Geneva Ives moved to Santa Barbara in 2000 on a... Read More
Geneva Ives moved to Santa Barbara in 2000 on a whim (ok, and to go to college) and never looked back. She loves Santa Barbara because it’s really one of America’s greatest small towns - it just happens to have glorious beaches and celebrity residents, too! Geneva spent a decade managing an adorable, locally owned boutique in downtown Santa Barbara and met her husband when he was working as a waiter at the Cajun restaurant right next door. Together they go on many adventures trying to find the best activities, drinks and dining experiences in the tri-county area.
Geneva Ives
Geneva Ives moved to Santa Barbara in 2000 on a whim (ok, and to go to college) and never looked back. She loves Santa Barbara because it’s really one of America’s greatest small towns - it just happens to have glorious beaches and celebrity residents, too! Geneva spent a decade managing an adorable, locally owned boutique in downtown Santa Barbara and met her husband when he was working as a waiter at the Cajun restaurant right next door. Together they go on many adventures trying to find the best activities, drinks and dining experiences in the tri-county area.
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home... Read More
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Jacky Runice
Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).
In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose... Read More
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose passion for wandering began at 8-years-old. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. This led Jillian to pursue travel journalism; from living in Boston, London and Santiago, to exploring Nicaragua, southern China and the new middle east, she appreciates the ability to share stories about destinations and to connect them to a deeper cultural perspective. Outside of 10Best, Jillian’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Forbes, DuJour, Elite Traveler, Hemispheres and Wine Enthusiast.
Jillian Dara
Jillian is a travel and culture journalist whose passion for wandering began at 8-years-old. Growing up in Bermuda, Jillian quickly became comfortable on planes and intrigued by the concept of the unfamiliar. This led Jillian to pursue travel journalism; from living in Boston, London and Santiago, to exploring Nicaragua, southern China and the new middle east, she appreciates the ability to share stories about destinations and to connect them to a deeper cultural perspective. Outside of 10Best, Jillian’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Forbes, DuJour, Elite Traveler, Hemispheres and Wine Enthusiast.
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.