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Discover Missouri Distilleries

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While Missouri is known for its wineries and breweries, distilleries have been popping up rapidly throughout the state in recent years. The Show-Me State distillers offer a variety of handcrafted spirits including whiskey, gin, vodka and bourbon, each with it’s own unique taste.

A bartender pours a cocktail into a clear glass. The customer is laughing and talking to someone. Whiskey bottles line the shelves behind the bar.

Missouri Whiskeys and Bourbons

Missouri Bourbon Whiskey must meet federal standards for bourbon, plus be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in the state. The aging process takes place in Missouri white oak barrels, and as of 2020, the product can only be made with Missouri-grown corn. These standards marry the importance of agriculture in Missouri with its by-products.

Kansas City Whiskey is an exclusive product made by J. Rieger & Co., and it’s a special blend of straight bourbon whiskey, light corn whiskey and straight rye whiskey. A small dose of sherry is added, resulting in a well-balanced, smooth and slightly sweet taste. This particular creation was named “Best American Whiskey” at the ASCOT awards. These two, specially-made products are only a glance of what you’ll taste at a Missouri distillery.

Missouri Distilleries

In 2019, the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild launched the “Missouri Spirits Expedition,” the official distillery trail for the Show-Me State. This trail gives participants, age 21 and older, the opportunity to collect stamps at participating distilleries and earn rewards along the way. This is a great way to enter into the distillery world.

When you visit one of these locations, see what tours are available. A behind-the-scenes look at how the local spirits are made will make your visit even more intriguing. This guide will feature three distilleries, then you can check out other locations by region. Be sure to check each distillery’s website for more information on tour times and availability.

Two guests stand in a long, wooden hall. Barrels lay on their sides and line the walls from top to bottom. The guests are looking at the barrels as the tour guide talks.
Learn about the history of bourbon-making at Holladay Distillery – a tradition that began in the mid-1800s.

Copper Mule Distillery

Copper Mule is located near the quaint town of Hermann and has been in the owners’ family farm since 1908. Located right outside the city limits, visitors can schedule a tasting or tour on the beautiful bluffs of the former mule farm. All corn is sourced from the family’s century farm, and the bourbons are aged in Missouri white oak barrels. The aging process then takes two to six years. Their 1893 straight bourbon whiskey is a must-try when visiting. It is a smooth wheated bourbon, distilled and bottled in Hermann.

McCormick Distillery, operating Holladay Distillery

This establishment is located in the historic town of Weston. McCormick Distillery is the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi River still operating in its original location. The heritage of this location goes back to 1856, and their reputation for quality products stems from the original recipe. McCormick was known as the Holladay Distillery, and upon 160 years of business, the owners chose to go back to its roots and pay homage to the founders, renaming it as Holladay Distillery. The Holladay brothers started a legacy by using a pure limestone spring to make their bourbon. You won’t just taste bourbon here – you’ll experience it. Book a tour and see Real Missouri Bourbon being made, a tradition that runs 160 years deep. 

Two people sit at a wooden table. They are smiling as they sip beer and bourbon. The background is a distillery with soft, yellow lighting and a copper pipe running against the ceiling. Barrels sit along the wall.
Book a tour to see the bourbon-making process, or simply come to sip on spirits.

Missouri Ridge Distillery

Visit Missouri Ridge Distillery, a family-owned, mom and pop business in Branson’s beautiful Ozark Mountains. Using limestone produced water, time-honored family recipes and high-quality ingredients, Missouri Ridge offers products with a fine aroma and flavor. This distillery is grain-to-bottle, and their whiskies, beers and moonshines have won multiple awards. When you visit, expect to stay for lunch or dinner. A full barbecue menu is available, and their slow-smoked, mouthwatering meats pair perfectly with Missouri Ridge’s Craft Beer.

Missouri Distilleries by Region

Northeast

Northwest

Central

Southeast and Southwest