CINCINNATI — From whiskey to vodka to gin and more, cocktail and liquor connoisseurs have a variety of spirits to explore and enjoy — and the Tri-State is home to multiple distilleries that make award-winning spirits.
Whether you're searching out a unique bourbon blend or you're wanting to find a spirit perfect for your cocktail of choice, a distillery in the Tri-State has you covered. Based on a culmination of Yelp and Google reviews, here are the Top 9 distilleries in the Tri-State:
New Riff Distilling
First established in 2014, New Riff Distilling puts "a new riff on an old tradition" of Kentucky bourbon, according to its website. Located in Newport, New Riff crafts a range of whiskeys, including bourbon, rye, malted rye and a range of specialty blends, as well as Kentucky wild gin. New Riff produces all of its whiskeys using the sour mash process, which begins the distilling process with a portion of leftovers from a previous batch.
Northside Distilling Co.
Located in downtown Cincinnati, Northside Distilling Co. is Cincinnati's first downtown distillery since Prohibition, according to the distillery's website. Northside Distilling produces bourbon, gin, vodka, seasonal rums and American agave, which the distillery says is the first American agave bottled in Ohio. The distillery also has limited-edition special releases. Northside's vodka has one multiple awards, including some from the ACSA Awards and the International SIP Awards.
Karrikin Spirits Co.
"Committed to exploring [its] love of flavors with the community," according to its website, Karrikin Spirits Co. has a variety of spirits. Karrikin produces everything from rye whiskey to rum to vodka and even brandy and a Chinese liqueur. The Fairfax distillery also has canned cocktails made with its own spirits, including a bourbon lemonade and a "Hoptonic" sparking spirit cocktail made with Karrikin's Emerge Gin.
Pensive Distilling Co.
Located along Monmouth Street in Newport, Pensive Distilling Co. has a full blown kitchen and taproom within its distillery. Pensive said it's modern recipes are sure to put guests in a "pensive mood," according to its website. The distillery has produced multiple spirits including vodka, single barrel bourbon, apple pie moonshine and more.
Knox Joseph Distillery
"Here to challenge the status quo and elevate tradition," according to its website, Knox Joseph Distillery sits within OTR Stillhouse in Over-the-Rhine. Knox Joseph produces gin, vodka, bourbon and blended whiskey. The distillery's James Scott Blended Whiskey has won gold at the U.S. Open Whiskey Championship multiple years in a row, with multiple other spirits also garnering wins.
Second Sights Spirits
Second Sights Spirits is helmed by Rich Couch and Carus Waggoner in Ludlow. The distillery has a range of spirits, including multiple rums such as unbarreled run, spiced rum, smoked cherry rum and bourbon barreled rum. The distillery also has a Kentucky bourbon and hazelnut liqueur, as well.
Northern Row Distilling
Northern Row first began distilling its own gin, rum, vodka, malted whiskey and bourbon in 2017. A "grain to glass" distillery, according to its website, the Over-the-Rhine distillery's spirits fall under the name of Five Stories Spirits. Guests can enjoy a barrel-aged gin, its Cincinnati gin, which is made in collaboration with Molly Wellman and the Krohn Conservatory, a white rum, a pepper-flavored vodka and more.
Wenzel Whiskey
Located in Covington's historic Wenzel building, Wenzel Whiskey produced the first whiskey blended in Covington since Prohibition, according to its website. The distillery's "Wheated Two" bourbon was named "Best American Blended Limited Release" at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards. Similar to Northern Row, Wenzel also teamed up with Cincinnati mixologist and entrepreneur Molly Wellman to make a limited-edition whiskey called "The One 50th Blend."
Boone County Distilling Co.
Whiskey production returned to Boone County in 2015 with the release of Boone County Distilling Co.'s 1883 Straight Bourbon Whiskey, according to the distillery's website. Since then, the distillery, which is located in Independence, has grown as produces a wide variety of whiskeys, including rye, cask-finished bourbons, single-barrel releases, its Lexington Club bourbon, sour mashes and more.
