The 9 best distilleries near Charlotte
Distilleries within about an hour of Charlotte make Irish-inspired whiskey in NoDa, rum in a restored Mount Holly cotton mill, Bulgarian fruit brandy in downtown Monroe and bourbon on a former prison campus in Mount Pleasant. This list covers nine distilleries in Charlotte, Matthews, Monroe, Mount Holly, Mount Pleasant, Kings Mountain, Statesville and Newton. Posted public tours run $10 to $30, and most end with a tasting. The list is for whiskey and rum fans, visitors planning a day trip and groups looking for a tour. Entries are listed alphabetically, not ranked.
How we chose
Each distillery showed 2026 activity: dated 2026 events, releases or tours, or a website updated in 2026 with current hours and tour prices. Picks are based on how long each distillery has operated, the spirits made on site, tours and tastings, and independent recognition such as the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition results and WRAL’s July 2026 roundup of North Carolina spirits. Medals and firsts that appear only on a distillery’s own site were not counted. A Rock Hill distillery that posts no verifiable address was left out, along with distilleries that have closed. No distillery paid to be included.
Great Wagon Road Distilling Co.
Irish native Oliver Mulligan founded the company in 2013, and his grandfather Patrick Quinn made whiskey in Ireland’s midlands. The 15,000-square-foot NoDa distillery in the former Bold Missy Brewery space was set to soft-open September 10, 2020, Charlotte Agenda reported, and the bar top, leather furniture, lighting and telephone booth came from the original Southside Drive location. The water is spring water Mulligan hauls from his Yancey County mountain property, according to the company.
Why we chose them
- Saturday tours at 1 and 2 p.m. run about 30 minutes and include a tasting.
- Rua is an American single malt made from organic two-row barley, bottled at 92 proof.
- Last Call whiskeys from the closed Doc Porter’s distillery sell here at ABC prices.
- The Waxhaw tasting room, on West North Main Street, has an Irish snug.
Address: Charlotte (NoDa) — 610 Anderson St., with a tasting room in Waxhaw
Muddy River Distillery
Robbie and Caroline Delaney founded this rum distillery in 2011 in 500 square feet of an old textile mill near the Catawba River, which gave the name, and moved from Belmont to the restored 1875 cotton mill, opening there June 22, 2024. The 17,000-square-foot mill holds a bar with house-rum cocktails, a canteen kitchen with small plates, a lounge and a creekside patio. Queen Charlotte’s Reserve is a four-year Carolina rum launched in 2018.
Why we chose them
- Saturday tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. cost $10 and need no reservation.
- Check in 10 minutes early at the host stand with ID; tours are 21 and up.
- Private tours for 10 or more are $200 for up to 30 people.
- Bottles are sold on site, Sundays included.
- The mill is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Address: Mount Holly — 250 N. Main St., in the Mount Holly Cotton Mill
Oaklore Distilling Co.
Neighbors Matt Simpkins and Tom Bogan found a shared love of whiskey while walking their kids to the bus stop in 2016 and founded the distillery with friend Travis Masters, opening in fall 2022 at Monroe and Matthews-Mint Hill roads. Simpkins is an ordained Lutheran pastor and Bogan owned a construction company, the Charlotte Business Journal reported in 2022. The flagship Four Grain Bourbon, 92 proof and aged five to seven years, won gold at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition.
Why we chose them
- Single-barrel selections of the NC Straight Rye, aged seven-plus years, are available at the distillery.
- Live music plays every Saturday night.
- The tasting room has an outdoor patio with a fire pit.
- Hours run until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: Matthews — 11136 Monroe Road
Seven Jars Distillery
Bootlegger Frank Ratcliffe buried seven foil-wrapped mason jars of recipes, and his son Del and widow Velma dug them up in 1984, the story behind the name. The Ratcliffe children started the distillery to share the family story, according to the site. The business is also a winery and brewing shop, selling wine- and beer-making kits and classes alongside the distillery’s rum, vodka and bourbon.
Why we chose them
- Tours last about an hour, include 12 tastings of wines and spirits and start at $30 a person.
- Tours aren’t refunded, but rescheduling with notice is free.
- Saturday walk-ins are very limited because tours are often booked.
- Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Address: Charlotte (northwest Charlotte) — 6148 Brookshire Blvd., Suites A and B
Southern Artisan Spirits
Twin brothers Charlie and Alex Mauney run this family-owned distillery and restaurant, Charlotte Magazine has reported. House spirits include Cardinal Gin and Turning Point Rye, and the restaurant serves smokehouse-style Southern food, Sunday brunch and craft cocktails. The distillery tells the story of Kings Mountain voting to go dry in October 1874, and the restaurant hosts live music and private events.
Why we chose them
- Distillery tours are for groups of 10 or more, by inquiry form.
- Sunday brunch runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Pickup, delivery and off-site catering are available.
Address: Kings Mountain — 1033 York Road
Southern Distilling Company
Pete and Vienna Barger founded this family distillery in 2013; Pete, a Statesville native, has an engineering background, and Vienna runs daily operations. The 20-acre campus about 45 minutes up I-77 from Charlotte has a herd of miniature donkeys. Southern Star bourbons won Double Gold at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, and WRAL called Paragon Bottled-in-Bond the most highly rated North Carolina bourbon in July 2026.
Why we chose them
- The 60-minute tour is $15, $12 for seniors and veterans, and free for active military.
- Guests under 21 tour free, and tours end with a four-sample tasting.
- Dogs are welcome in the tasting room but not on production tours.
- Book weekend tours ahead, since Saturdays fill fastest.
- Tasting room hours run until 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Address: Statesville — 211 Jennings Road
Southern Grace Distilleries
Thomas Thacker, Leanne Powell and Perry Morris opened the company in October 2014 in a former Concord textile mill, the Salisbury Post reported, and the distillery now sits on a retired 1929 prison campus branded Whiskey Prison. Conviction bourbons, from Straight to Bottled in Bond and Double Oak 1929, and Sun Dog corn whiskey are made here. Thacker is co-founder, CEO and president.
Why we chose them
- Behind Bars tours, $14, visit the dorms and solitary cells and end with a tasting.
- Tours run Tuesday through Sunday at 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m.
- A private Barrel House tasting is $40 a person, booked a week ahead.
- Buildings aren’t climate controlled, and tours are non-refundable.
- The distillery is closed November 24 to 26 for Thanksgiving.
Address: Mount Pleasant — 130 Dutch Road
Vetus Distillery
Bulgarian-born couple Kate and Diyan founded this distillery in 2023; Diyan grew up distilling rakia in Chintulovo, in Bulgaria’s Valley of Peaches, and Kate runs tastings, events and daily operations. The specialty is Bulgarian-style rakia, fruit brandies made from fig, peach, plum, scuppernong and muscat, plus a vodka and a rum. The owners built the tasting bar by hand in the 6,500-square-foot downtown building.
Why we chose them
- Friday and Sunday tastings cover six brandies plus vodka and rum.
- Saturday tours walk the production space and end with a guided tasting.
- Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.
- The distillery is closed Monday through Wednesday.
- Parking is free on site, and the drive from Charlotte is about 30 to 40 minutes.
Address: Monroe (downtown) — 430 Crow St.
See the full directory listing
Warehouse Distillery
The Setzer family of Catawba County, Ron, Stephanie and daughter Baillie Setzer Rector, formed the business in May 2015 and spent about three years on renovations, recipes and permits. The lineup runs from a 100% corn vodka and a rye whiskey to a two-year bourbon and a 60-proof maple whiskey, and the cocktail lounge sits beside the production equipment, with music bingo, live music and food trucks on the calendar.
Why we chose them
- The tours page says behind-the-scenes tours are suspended because of short staffing, so call first.
- The 6th annual Sip & Shop Market is Saturday, November 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The cocktail lounge is open Wednesday through Sunday.
Address: Newton — 2628 NW Blvd.
Prices, hours and opening status last checked November 13, 2026. Call ahead where an entry says to.
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