If you find yourself in the hills and prairies of the “Show Me” state, you’ll be in Missouri. And along with iconic pitstops like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the best barbeque in Kansas City, there is a slew of incredible distillery experiences to behold! So, when you’re traveling through, create yourself a must-see list of Missouri distillery tours. And this is your ultimate guide to the state’s very best. From cocktails to rich bourbons and beyond, this is the shortlist of great tours to explore.

A Culture of Missouri Distillery Love

When you’re in Missouri and exploring various distillery tours, you’ll notice MSE. It’s the Missouri Spirits Expedition, and it’s an actual statewide trail of breweries and distilleries to see. With more than 30 different hotspots along the trail, you’ll feel like Lewis & Clark exploring a deep, rich history and love Missouri has for all things spirits, liquors, and craft brews.

1. St. Louis Distillery – St. Charles, Missouri

USA Today ranked this hotspot among the 10 Best Readers’ Choice winners, voted The Best Craft Vodka Distillery! Cardinal Sin Spirits are nothing short of spectacular, and this distillery produces some of the smoothest and ultra-pure varieties. Using single-batch distilling processes, these vodka blends have a one-of-a-kind taste. And the Cardinal Sin Starka is the first Starka vodka to be released in the U.S. as barrel-aged! Be sure to schedule a tour and kick back in the tasting room to see how unique these vodkas really are.

2. Mean Mule Distilling Co. – Kansas City, Missouri

No trip to Kansas City is complete until you hit the Mean Mule Distilling Co., where carefully crafted agave spirits come to life! Every spirit distilled here comes from 100% organic blue weber agave, right in the beating heart of America. Don’t mistake these agave spirits for tequila, either. Because they’re all distilled from a distinct agave plant, every Mean Mule sip will have its own flavor profile and Kansas City perspective. Try these incredible varieties!

Silver (40% ABV – 80 PROOF) – Mean Mule says, “it tastes like riding a bike with no hands”

Gin (45% ABV – 90 PROOF) – Mean Mule says, “it tastes like rain and a road trip with the windows down”

Gold (40% ABV – 80 PROOF) – Mean Mule says, “it tastes like a candle-lit dinner and fireside chat”

Heritage (45% ABV – 90 PROOF) – Mean Mule says, “it tastes like winning an argument and impressing the in-laws”

3. StilL 630 Distillery – St. Louis, Missouri

Don’t adjust your screen; it’s spelled that way for a reason. Known for their “exceptional small-batch and handcrafted spirits,” meet the Indomitable Spirits of St. Louis! The awards wall is full, including Best Gin in the USA for their Navy Strength Gin, Best Bottled-in-Bond Whiskey for their S.S. Sorghum Whiskey, and Best Signature Botanical Gin for their Two-Step Gin. Book a tour here and witness every spirit being carefully distilled, bottled, labeled, and even sealed by hand.

4. Naked Spirits Distillery – St. Louis, Missouri

Keep your clothes on, but prepare for epic distillery tour experiences like none other! Naked Spirits offers a full guided tour of their facility, which includes tastings of any current offerings and two cocktails. And you’ll have an incredible time sipping some of these local and national rum favorites.

• White Rum
• Banana Foster
• Cinnamon Apple Pie
• Watermelon Lemonade
• Toasted Nuts
• Mocha Royale
• Naked Spiced
• Gooey As F**k
• STL Private Reserve Rum
• Barrel Collection b1

5. Spirits of St. Louis Distillery – St. Louis, Missouri

The distillery experience in St. Louis isn’t complete until you venture to Lafayette Square and sip your way through a tour at the Spirits of St. Louis Distillery. Whiskey at its finest, you’ll love J.J. Neukomm Single Malt and Vermont Night Maple-Flavored varieties. And then top it off with the brilliant Regatta Bay Gin. 

6. J. Rieger & Co. – Kansas City, Missouri

Jacob Rieger & Company was originally founded in 1887 in Kansas City’s iconic West Bottoms Livestock Exchange district. And with more than 100 alcoholic products available for mail-order, it’s a Kansas City staple to visit. Tours and tastings happen seven days a week, offering a one-hour peek into the extensive distilling process. Taste Midwestern Dry Gin, Premium Wheat Vodka, Kansas City Whiskey, and Caffè Amaro.

7. Pinckney Bend Distillery – New Haven, Missouri

“Gin-troduce” yourself to Pinckney Bend Distillery in New Haven, Missouri! But it’s not all gin. The Stout Cask Whisky is back on this tour, along with a family of other delightfully distilled spirits that make up the distillery’s pillar flavors.

• American Gin
• Hibiscus Gin
• Navy Strength Gin
• Cask Finished Gin
• American Vodka
• American Corn Whiskey
• Rested American Whiskey
• Apple Ambush
• Canned Cocktails
• Classic Tonic Syrup

8. Restless Spirits Distillery – North Kansas City, Missouri

Make sure your Missouri distillery tour includes Restless Spirits Distillery, where the soul of Irish tradition blends with Midwestern values for a truly unique taste. Tours happen all week long and only cost $12 per person, which includes spirit sampling! Check out these iconic Irish-inspired blends!

• Builders Botanical Gin
• Stone Breaker Whiskey
• Duffy’s Run Vodka
• Sons of Erin Irish Whiskey
• Sons of Erin 15 Year
• Gullytown Whiskey
• Builders Barrel Finished Gin
• Cinnamon Stonebreaker

9. Samuel Berton Distillery – Labadie, Missouri

Another feather in the cap that is the Missouri distillery trail is the Samuel Berton Distillery. Here the devoted team produces high-quality, small-batch spirits and natural liqueurs. You can sample vodkas, gins, whiskeys, and liqueurs you won’t find anywhere else. From classics like the Barrel Aged Gin and Rye Whiskey to unique flavors like the Bacon Vodka (perfect for Bloody Marys) and Coffee Liqueur, you’re sure to find a new favorite in charming Labadie, Missouri.

10. Holladay Distillery – Weston, Missouri

If you really want to know what 160 years of history and real Missouri bourbon tastes like, you have to tour the Holladay Distillery in Weston, Missouri. Take a 90-minute stroll through this production, which includes a peek into the limestone spring that was first discovered by Lewis and Clark back in 1804. From the stillhouse to the warehouses, prepare to step back in time and sip some of the Show Me state’s best!

11. Tom’s Town Distilling Co. – Kansas City, Missouri

Another downtown Kansas City, Missouri distillery favorite is Tom’s Town Distilling Co. Take a tour and enjoy award-winning and premium spirits like these: 

• Thirsty’s Canned Cocktails
• Truman Special Reserve Bourbon
• Pendergast’s Royal Gold Bourbon
• Tom’s Town Doubled Oaked Bourbon
• Tom’s Town Botanical Gin
• Tom’s Town Barreled Gin
• Tom’s Town Double Grain Vodka
• The Pendergast Machine Series

12. Copper Run Distillery – Branson West, Missouri

Welcome to the home of Ozark Mountain Moonshine, rum, and whiskey! Welcome to Copper Run Distillery, now in Branson West, Missouri. Here you’ll find award-winning small-batch spirits with the soul of the Ozark Mountain. This is the first legal Ozark Mountain distillery since prohibition ended in 1933. You’ll especially enjoy the Signature Barrel Program or (SBP), where whiskey lovers can create their very own barrels of whiskey!

13. Black Shire Distillery – Hermann, Missouri

Another Missouri distillery gem is the Black Shire Distillery in charming Hermann, Missouri. Here you’ll taste the locally grown grains and distinctive white oak barrels, charred just a bit down the road. This tour is set on a historic farm settled by German immigrants back in the 1840s. Today, you can sample all the best history and regional hints that include a portfolio of spirits of the following:

• Vodka
• American Gin
• Stampede Blended Whiskey
• Blackberry Whiskey
• Rye Whiskey
• Bourbon
• Seasonal Gins/Winter Gins

14. Ozark Distillery and Brewing Company – Osage Beach, Missouri

One of the biggest revenue-generating tourist attractions in all of Missouri might just be Lake of the Ozarks. And if you find yourself vacationing here, you have to visit the Ozark Distillery and Brewing Company. It’s the oldest legal distillery in Camden County, right off of Osage Beach. Get the fully-guided tour by Head Distiller Dave Huffman, who’ll show you all the behind-the-scenes of distilling corn whiskey, flavored moonshines, premium vodkas, and bourbon.

15. Missouri Ridge Distillery – Branson, Missouri

Discover award-winning whiskeys, beer varieties, moonshines, and even barbeque when you visit the Missouri Ridge Distillery in Branson, Missouri! With some of the best and purest water in the world, right from the Ozark Mountain, along with locally sourced ingredients and state-of-the-art distilling equipment, Gregory Pope, Master Distiller, will introduce you to incredible brews and flavors. 

• Straight American Single Malt Whiskey – Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medal Winner
• Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey – Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds Corn Whiskey – Bronze and Silver Medal Winner
• Gary’s Fightin’ Mash Corn Whiskey
• Howlin’ Hounds Moonshine – Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds White Lighting – Silver Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds Apple Pie Moonshine – Silver and Gold Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds Honey Moonshine – Bronze and Silver Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds Peach Moonshine – Bronze Medal Winner
• Howlin’ Hounds Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Moonshine
• Howlin’ Hounds Silver Rum
• Howlin’ Hounds Spiced Rum
• Howlin’ Hounds Barrel Aged Rum

16. Wood Hat Spirits – New Florence, Missouri

In the heart of Missouri wine country lies another Missouri distillery you simply must experience. Head to New Florence to visit Wood Hat Spirits! It’s another award-winning distillery experience known for its handcrafted bourbons, corn whiskey varieties, and cordials. This is a true “field to glass” tour, learning about every step in the process, including the only wood-fired still in the country and certification as a “true Craft Distillery” by the official American Distilling Institute.

17. Six-Mile Ordinary – Columbia, Missouri

Experiencing some current renovations now (February 2023), when this distillery re-opens, prepare to return to sampling some of the finest bourbons around. These tours dive into the distillery’s history dating back to the 18th century, through to today’s community-based operations. In addition to Missouri bourbons, you can also sample:

• 100% Corn Vodka
• Tavern Keep Gin
• Rums
• Blended Whiskey
• Gold Tequila
• Silver Tequila
• Six-Mile Ordinary Bourbon (Coming Soon)

18. T’s Redneck Distillery – Lebanon, Missouri

Come for the distillery tour and stay for the mouth-watering meal at the steakhouse! T’s Redneck Distillery is an all-inclusive spirit and steak kind of place, with a host of incredible bourbons, whiskeys, and moonshines. Check out these fun and flavor-infused varieties!

• Aker’s Bourbon Whiskey
• Aker’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
• Aker’s Small Batch Bourbon
• Aker’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• T’s Redneck Moonshine
• T’s Redneck Blueberry Shine
• T’s Redneck Cinnamon Pear Shine
• T’s Redneck Strawberry Shine
• T’s Redneck Peach Cobbler Shine
• T’s Redneck Apple Pie Shine
• T’s Redneck Blackberry Shine

Let Distillery Nearby Be Your Guide

Start plotting your course through the Midwest, including these Missouri distillery hotspots! It’s an adventure you can sip one tour at a time! The Midwest is home to countless distillery and brewery experiences that are great additions to any road trip or vacation travel you have planned. And whenever you need a little extra help planning your bucket list of distillery tours nationwide, let Distillery Nearby be your ultimate guide!