Where To Find The Best Maryland Rye & Bourbon Distillers

Baltimore Spirit Company produces Baltimore-popular Epoch Straight Rye Whiskey as well as gin, brandy, and other craft spirits. (Baltimore)

Fiore Winery & Distillery is known for its Maryland Straight Rye. They also make Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The distillery is part of Fiore Winery about 45 minutes northeast of Baltimore. (Pylesville, MD)

Fordham Lee Distillery produces “grain-to-glass” high-rye bourbon and cream-based whiskeys. Bourbon whiskey is expected to be available in May 2023. There is no tasting room yet. (Middletown, MD)

Gray Wolf Craft Distilling makes small batch Maryland rye from scratch. Located in St. Michaels’ warehouse district, they offer only tastings and sales. Their Gray Wold Rye Whiskey is so popular that it’s sold only in half-bottles. Wolf shares the distillery with Lyon Rum. (St. Michaels, MD)

Meinelschmidt Distillery is located in Hagerstown’s historic Masonic Temple. Their locally-grown “Wheated Whiskey” was bottled first. Meinelschmidt “Maryland Rye Whiskey” entered the marketplace in February 2022. Bourbon is still aging in the barrel. (Hagerstown, MD)

One Eight Distilling is located in a warehouse district near Washington, DC’s National Arboretum. They specialize in bourbon and continually release new takes on their standard bourbon. Rye, corn, and wheat are grown nearby in Maryland and Virginia. Malted grains come from North Carolina. (Washington, DC) They’re outside our usual region, but the whiskey convinced us to include them.

Painted Stave Distilling produces small-batch bourbon and rye using ingredients grown nearby. Being in Delaware, they can serve their products only in cocktails. Tours at the converted movie theater are not yet available, but they have a full-service cocktail bar with a food truck outside. (Smyrna, DE) They’re outside our usual region, but the whiskey convinced us to include them.

Sagamore Spirit Distillery‘s Rye whiskey is based around a spring house built in 1909 on Sagamore Farm north of Baltimore. However, the impressive distillery sits facing the Patapsco River in Baltimore. Sagamore is Maryland’s nationally-sold brand and produces ryes and specialty whiskeys. They are now releasing their all-Maryland “Barreled in Bond” ryes. (Baltimore)

Located just outside of the city of College Park,  Shmidt Spirits produces distilled rye and gin known for their distinctive finishes. (Beltsville, MD)

Old Line Spirits was started by Former Naval flight officers in 2017 after brewing for a couple of years in other states. They produce American single malt whiskey. This Baltimore-based whiskey is already getting national recognition. (Baltimore)

Blackwater Distilling was Maryland’s first fully-licensed beverage alcohol distillery since 1972. Sadly it closed in 2022.

Lyon Rum is the flagship product of Windon Distilling. Founded in 2012, the distillery launched with a signature line of rums paying tribute to the rich, spirited traditions of the Eastern Shore. The rum is hugely popular with boaters. They share distillery operations with Wolf. Tastings and sales only, but it’s in fun St. Michaels steps from the Chesapeake Bay. (St. Michaels, MD)

Old Line Spirits produce “Navy Strength” Caribbean rum. It’s rum shipped in from a Caribbean distiller and aged in Old Line barrels. (Baltimore)

Blackwater Distilling produces Picaroon rum, a favorite of Chesapeake Bay boaters. (Kent Island, MD)

Tobacco Barn Distillery is owned by former Navy guys who wanted to produce their own rum. They have a limited version that was aged while the barrels rocked on a historic ship in the Baltimore Harbor, called “U.S.S. Constellation.” (Hollywood, MD)

Twin Valley Distillers, Maryland’s first urban distillery, produces bourbon barrel-aged rum and Hibiscus Sorrel, a traditional Jamaican drink. (Rockville, MD)

Gray Wolf Craft Distilling makes the first agave spirit distilled in Maryland. It’s made from 100% unrefined organic blue Weber agave nectar. (St. Michaels, MD)

Shochu (“show-chew”) is single pot distilled Japanese whiskey, but uniquely smooth. American Shochu Company produces theirs from organic barley, in Frederick, Maryland. It’s the only shochu distillery in North America. (Frederick, MD)

White Tiger Distillery makes handcrafted Laotian-style whisky. The recipe was handed down through three generations of the Ounnarath family from Laos. In 2013, Itsara Ounnarath rediscovered the family secret and brought the whisky formulations back to life. (Forest Hill, MD)

Fiore Winery & Distillery produces flavors moonshine, as well as grappa, vodka and limoncello. The distillery is part of Fiore Winery about 45 minutes northeast of Baltimore. Tables are set up on the balcony of their unassuming tasting room, down the drive behind the working barn, with an amazing view of the farm and winery. (Pylesville, MD)

Southern Trail Distillery creates moonshine, whiskey, vodka, and rum in a very southern Maryland style. The distillery is located off the historic Three Notch Trail. (Mechanicsville, MD)

BAD Alfred’s Distilling produces hand-crafted brandy, rye, gin, and grappa. They usually have one or two stills running every weekend. The downtown Chestertown distillery serves craft cocktails along with wood-fired pizza made on the premise. (Chestertown, MD)

Blackwater Distilling, founded in 2008 on Kent Island, is Maryland’s first fully-licensed beverage alcohol distillery since 1972. It closed Spring of 2022.

BlueDyer Distilling Company produces rum, whiskey, and gin. The stylishly hip tasting room is set up in a corner of the distillery. They specialize in craft cocktails that take time to prepare. Food trucks are outside the office-park location. (Waldorf, MD)

Dragon Distillery is a small craft distillery located in Frederick, Maryland. It was the city’s first distillery. They specialize in small-batch artisan spirits that make inventive cocktails. (Frederick, MD)

Lost Ark Distilling Company is a small artisan distillery. They specialize in rum, with assorted flavors, but also produce Trailblazer Straight Bourbon Whiskey. (Columbia, MD)

MISCellaneous Distillery started in December 2016 and now offers 10 award-winning spirits. All grains used are grown in Carroll County and then stone-ground on a grist mill built in the 1800s. (Mt. Airy, MD)

Patapsco Distilling Company opened in 2017. PDC will produce vodka, bourbon, rye whiskey, and limoncello from Maryland-grown grains. (Sykesville, MD)

Sangfroid Distilling is a small, artisanal distillery focusing on fruit-based brandies, Dutch-style gins, and Maryland rye whiskey. Their products are made using fruit grown in western Maryland and grains from Maryland farmers. (Hyattsville, MD)

Springfield Manor is the first licensed distillery in Frederick County. As an artisan craft distiller, their product line includes lavender gin, rum, corn whiskey, fruit brandies & grappa. Their Maryland Rye is in the barrel. (Thurmont, MD)

Tenth Ward Distilling Company is in what used to be the Tenth Ward of Frederick City. They specialize in unique spirits, including smoked corn whiskey, absinthe, and apple brandy made with tart cherries. (Frederick, MD)