Montana
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Montana

Montana’s whiskey story is a modern one, born in 2005 when RoughStock became the state’s first distillery in over a century and has since grown into a farm-to-bottle movement spanning more than a dozen producers from Bozeman to Butte. Today’s Montana whiskey is defined by local grains—malt barley from the Golden Triangle and Bitterroot Valley, rye from Joplin, spring wheat from Three Forks, and even fresh sweet corn hand-shucked on a Corvallis family farm at WildRye Distilling, whose Five Drops Bourbon was named “Montana’s bourbon” by the Whiskey Advocate. Mountain spring water and dramatic Rocky Mountain temperature swings in aging rickhouses give these whiskeys a character that aficionados can immediately distinguish from Kentucky or Tennessee. The scene spans bourbon, rye, corn whiskey, and wheat whiskey, with producers like RoughStock, WildRye, Bozeman Spirits, and Dry Hills Distillery all committed to growing and distilling entirely on Montana soil. Though Montana lacks a pre-Prohibition whiskey heritage, its craft distilling identity is unmistakably rooted in Big Sky agriculture, frontier water, and the rugged landscape that defines the state.

Spirits History

Montana’s whiskey story is inextricably linked to its rugged landscape and the hardy agricultural traditions of the American West. The state’s distilling identity is built upon a foundation of resilient grains—primarily rye, wheat, corn, and barley—grown in the vast stretches of the Big Sky Country. This agricultural backbone, combined with the use of pure, locally sourced glacial water, provides a terroir that emphasizes the raw, unadulterated character of the grain, a hallmark of the state’s emerging whiskey profile.

History in Montana is marked by a spirit of defiance, particularly during the era of Prohibition. Long before the national Volstead Act, Montana voters approved statewide prohibition in 1916, yet the law failed to extinguish the local appetite for spirits. This era gave rise to a unique cultural phenomenon: the “Whiskey Women.” These female bootleggers played a significant role in the clandestine trade, operating stills and navigating the illegal market with a grit that has since become part of the state’s distilling lore. The presence of bootlegger’s stills in historical collections serves as a testament to this period of underground resilience.

Following a long period of decline, Montana has experienced a vibrant craft distilling revival. Led by the Montana Distillers Guild, a new generation of producers has transformed the state from a landscape of prohibition-era shadows into a burgeoning hub of small-batch excellence. This movement has moved away from industrial production toward a “field-to-glass” philosophy, where distilleries like WildRye and Glacier Distilling emphasize the direct connection between the local farmer and the final bottle.

Today, Montana whiskey is defined by a “flavor of place” that marries traditional grain-forward profiles with the state’s unique botanical identity. While rye and wheat remain the stars, modern producers increasingly infuse their spirits with the essence of the Montana wilderness. The use of huckleberries, Flathead cherries, and local honey has become a signature way for distillers to express the state’s untamed beauty, creating whiskeys that are as much a tribute to the landscape as they are to the craft of distillation.

Distilleries in Montana

Browse active distilleries by card list or map location.

Asylum Distillery
2223 Montana Ave, Ste 101, Billings, MT 59101 Gin Moonshine Rum Bar Sales
Blackpot Distillery
119 E Main St, Belgrade, MT 59714 Rye Single Malt Whiskey Bar Sales Tastings
Bozeman Spirits Distillery
121 W Main St, Bozeman, MT 59715 Agave Bourbon Bourbon Cream Flavored Whiskey Gin Rum Vodka Bar Sales Tastings Tours
Dry Hills Distillery
106 Village Center Ln, Bozeman, MT 59718 Bourbon Gin Rye Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales
Ghostwood Distilling Co.
Bozeman, MT 59715 Bourbon Flavored Bourbon Sales
Glacier Distilling Company
10237 US-2 E, Coram, MT 59913 Amaro Apple Jack Bourbon Brandy Cream Liqueur Flavored Bourbon Flavored Whiskey Gin Liqueur Rum Rye Single Malt Slivovitz Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales Tastings
Gutch Distillers
4 W Lawrence St, Helena, MT 59601 Apertif Brandy Liqueur Rum Single Malt Vodka Bar Sales Tastings Tours
Headframe Spirits
21 S Montana St, Butte, MT 59701 Bourbon Bourbon Cream Cream Liqueur Gin Single Malt Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales Tastings
Lakeside Distillery
201 Broadway St, Townsend, MT 59644 Bourbon Gin Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales
Lolo Creek Distillery
6610 Highway 12, Lolo, MT 59847 Bourbon Flavored Whiskey Gin Vodka Bar Food Sales Tastings
Montana Whiskey Co.
901 S 2nd St W, Ste B, Missoula, MT 59801 Bourbon Whiskey Sales
Montgomery Distillery
129 W Front St, Missoula, MT 59802 Brandy Liqueur Rye Single Malt Bar Sales
Spotted Bear Spirits
503 Railway St, Ste A, Whitefish, MT 59937 Agave Bourbon Flavored Whiskey Gin Lemoncello Liqueur Schnapps Single Malt Vodka Bar Sales Tastings
Stahl Peak Distillery
45 Front St, Unit 4, Eureka, MT 59917 Moonshine Vodka Bar Sales Tastings
Stonehouse Distillery
37 Muffley Ln, Winston, MT 59647 Bourbon Cream Liqueur Flavored Whiskey Rum Rye Bar Sales Tastings
Undammed Distilling Co.
116 N 11th St, Billings, MT 59101 Bourbon Gin Single Malt Vodka Whiskey Sales Tastings Tours
Westslope Distillery
172 S 2nd St, Hamilton, MT 59840 Brandy Flavored Spirit Gin Rum Rye Vodka Bar Sales Tastings
Whistling Andy Distillery
8020 Highway 35, Bigfork, MT 59911 Bourbon Gin Moonshine Rum Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales Tastings Tours
Whitefish Handcraft Spirits
2134 Highway 2 E, Kalispell, MT 59901 Agave Amaretto Gin Rum Rye Bar Food Sales Tastings Tours
WildRye Distilling
111 E Oak St, Ste 1E, Bozeman, MT 59715 Bourbon Brandy Gin Rum Rye Single Malt Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales
Willie's Distillery
312 E Main St, Ennis, MT 59729 Bourbon Cream Liqueur Gin Moonshine Rye Vodka Whiskey Bar Sales Tastings Tours