USA TODAY 10Best
Best Craft Specialty Spirit Distillery: Desert Door Texas Sotol
Best Craft Specialty Spirits Distillery (2019)
Gin, vodka, rum and whiskey are great and all, but the American thirst for craft spirits has grown beyond the bounds of the traditional to embrace specialty spirits from around the globe. Modern day distilleries now craft liqueurs, absinthe, aquavit, amaro and a host of other interesting libations alongside their flagship spirits.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Craft Specialty Spirit Distillery are as follows:
- Saxtons River Distillery - Brattleboro, Vt.
- Gulch Distillers - Helena, Mt.
- Boardroom Spirits - Lansdale, Penn.
- Geijer Spirits - San Francisco
- Marble Distilling - Carbondale, Colo.
- Ghost Coast Distillery - Savannah, Ga.
- Letterpress Distilling - Seattle
- Long Road Distillers - Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Sugarlands Distilling Company - Gatlinburg, Tenn.
- Desert Door Texas Sotol - Driftwood, Texas
Photo courtesy of Saxtons River Distillery
No. 10:
Among the specialty spirits from Saxtons River Distillery in Vermont are a maple liqueur made from distilled Vermont maple syrup aged in American oak, as well as a coffee liqueur made with Arabica beans roasted in Vermont, cold brewed and infused into a house-distilled spirit.
Photo courtesy of Gulch Distillers
No. 9:
The founders of Montana’s Gulch Distillers first bonded over their love of bitter liqueurs, which may have inspired their European-style Burrone Fernet. Distilled from Montana grains and a range of herbs and spices, the spirit can be sipped neat or mixed.
Photo courtesy of Boardroom Spirits
No. 8:
Among the interesting offerings from Boardroom Spirits are their Periodic Table of Spirits, each distilled from fermented fruits and vegetables like beets, carrots, apples and pears. The distillery also makes a Triple Sec Liqueur infused with real oranges and sweetened with organic cane sugar.
Photo courtesy of Geijer Spirits
No. 7:
What started as a Swedish family recipe for glögg liqueur launched what is today Geijer Spirits, a distillery that blends Scandinavian tradition with California flavors. Aside from the flagship Glögg Liqueur, product offerings include aquavit, fernet, orange liqueur and California spiced liqueur.
Photo courtesy of Marble Distilling
No. 6:
The sustainable spirits from Marble Distilling in the heart of the Rockies are made from Colorado grains and river water. Specialty options include Gingercello, made with fresh cut ginger and lemon zest; barrel-aged Gingercello Reserve and Moonlight EXpresso coffee liqueur, made from locally roasted dark coffee beans.
Photo courtesy of Ghost Coast Distillery
No. 5:
Savannah’s Ghost Coast Distillery offers a lineup of classic spirits, as well as some specialty products. The Chalmers Maraschino is made from Montmorency cherries, almonds and peach noyaux made in-house. The Carthusian Herbal Liqueur takes inspiration from a 150-year-old recipe with flavors of mint, lemon and thyme. Ghost Coast also distills a fernet and a peach liqueur.
Photo courtesy of Letterpress Distilling
No. 4:
The grain-to-glass Letterpress Distillery in Seattle distills their spirits from locally sourced wheat and barley. The lineup of specialty spirits includes a bittersweet amaro, limoncello made from a house-distilled vodka base and real lemons and a spring seasonal blood orange liqueur.
Photo courtesy of Long Road Distillers
No. 3:
Among the spirits made by the folks at Long Road Distillers in Grand Rapids are two varieties of aquavit, a popular Scandinavian spirit. The Original Aquavit has a profile of herbs and spices, while the limited release Old Aquavit rests in used whiskey barrels for 12 months, lending it greater complexity with notes of dill and caraway. The Michigan distillery also makes limited release liqueurs in flavors like raspberry and cherry.
Photo courtesy of Sugarlands Distilling Company
No. 2:
Sugarlands Distilling Company specializes in moonshine (a type of white whiskey), but the Tennessee distillery also makes a line of boozy Sippin’ Creams in flavors like Strawberry Dream, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Electric Orange, Eggnog, Dark Chocolate and Butter Pecan.
Photo courtesy of Desert Door Texas Sotol
No. 1:
Desert Door Texas Sotol is a sweet, citrusy, herbal spirit distilled in Driftwood, Texas from wild-harvested West Texas sotol plants. The resulting 80-proof spirit tastes like a gin crossed with a smooth tequila. The oak-aged version spends time in new charred American white oak.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 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.
Jack Robertiello
Jack Robertiello has worked with or written about... Read More
Jack Robertiello has worked with or written about spirits, wine, food and restaurants for most of his adult life, for many publications. He speaks frequently at conferences and meetings, and judges at numerous competitions, including the annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Robertiello also gives private classes and seminars on tasting wine and spirits, and has advised producers, importers, marketers and publicists about the field. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Jack Robertiello
Jack Robertiello has worked with or written about spirits, wine, food and restaurants for most of his adult life, for many publications. He speaks frequently at conferences and meetings, and judges at numerous competitions, including the annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Robertiello also gives private classes and seminars on tasting wine and spirits, and has advised producers, importers, marketers and publicists about the field. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Wayne Curtis
Wayne Curtis is the author of And a Bottle of Rum:... Read More
Wayne Curtis is the author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails, which was updated and re-released in 2018. He has written about cocktails, spirits, travel and history for many publications, including The Atlantic, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He currently covers spirits and cocktails for The Daily Beast, Garden & Gun, Spirited, Distiller and 750 Daily. He lives in New Orleans except during the yellow fever.
Wayne Curtis
Wayne Curtis is the author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails, which was updated and re-released in 2018. He has written about cocktails, spirits, travel and history for many publications, including The Atlantic, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He currently covers spirits and cocktails for The Daily Beast, Garden & Gun, Spirited, Distiller and 750 Daily. He lives in New Orleans except during the yellow fever.
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.
