If there is one thing Nashville knows best, apart from music, it is alcohol. While you are line dancing and enjoying being swung around the dancefloor, you are going to be in need of refreshment. And whiskey or beer is generally the beverage of choice. There are many fine distilleries in Nashville producing craft spirits.

What better way to enjoy a beverage in Nashville than at its source, a distillery? You can learn everything about how different types of alcohol are made and even taste some for yourself.

Below are 16 of the best distilleries in Nashville that will have you coming back for more.

Let’s get into it!

1. Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

Even more well-known than Jack Daniel in the late 1880s, Andy and Charlie’s great-great-great grandfather Charles Nelson produced the most popular Tennessee whiskey in the entire globe.

Andy and Charlie revived the family business using the exact recipes that made the first Nelson distillery so well-known one hundred years after it was forced to close. Everything about the distillery reflects the family pride and tradition.

With the family name restored, Nelson’s now sells a range of whiskeys, bourbons, and sherries!

2. Pennington Distilling Co.

The Pennington Distilling Co. was founded in 2011 and is situated in Nashville’s Nations neighborhood. Together with other goods, the grain-to-glass distillery produces aged and clear spirits.

The Whiskey here is utterly magical as it is filtered through maple charcoal and aged for a minimum of 4 years. It’s the first locally distilled small-batch Tennessee whiskey and a source of pride in a town that takes its whiskey very seriously. It has flavors of caramel and toasted marshmallows.

3. Prichard’s Distillery

This is the perfect place for a Nashville history buff. Prichard’s Distillery is the oldest distillery in Nashville using techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation.

The master distiller oversees the on-site completion of the entire process, from fermentation to bottling. Prichard’s takes pride in employing high-quality ingredients, whether for their rum, which employs Louisiana molasses, or their creative Double Chocolate Bourbon, which uses components from nearby Nashville chocolatier Olive & Sinclair.

4. Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.

A tour at Cascade Hollow, just over an hour from Nashville, tells the tale of George Dickel, a prosperous trader and later one of the best whiskey producers in the US who immigrated from Germany.

You’ll discover how his wife Augusta contributed to the business’s success after George passed away and the unusual method used to make sure it survived Prohibition.

Cascade Hollow uses sugar maple charcoal to distill its products giving them a gorgeous sweet flavor that is perfect for any occasion.

5. Jack Daniel’s Distillery

It wouldn’t be right to not visit one of the most famous whiskey distilleries in the world. Located just 90 minutes outside of Nashville in Lynchburg, this is the perfect day trip.

Visitors to the Jack Daniel’s distillery can observe how skill and attention to detail have created a magnificent brand and beverages that consumers all around the world adore. A visit to this distillery includes a tour of Jack Daniel’s 150-year past, both as a person and as the maker of his own brand of booze.

6. Nashville Craft Distillery

Nashville Craft Distillery is one of the youngest distilleries in the state having only opened in 2016.

At Nashville Craft Distillery, everything is handcrafted from scratch. The small-batch spirits all start in-house with an emphasis on local and regional ingredients, whether they are manufactured from sorghum, honey, or grain.

You may notice their products Naked Biscuit and Golden Biscuit behind some local bars and are often used in cocktails. They are just that good!

7. Ole Smoky Distillery

If you want to visit a distillery that offers an experience like no other, then Ole Smoky is an absolute must. Ole Smoky, Yee-Haw Brewing Co, a taco shop, a food truck, live music, and more are all available at this incredible location.

Ole Smoky uses a 100-year-old recipe to create a variety of over 40 different types of vibrantly colored moonshine and flavored whiskeys, drawing on the history of the Smoky Mountain moonshiners.

Eager to try some of their moonshines? Test it out at their tasting bar to get the full experience before taking some home!

8. Corsair Distillery

Corsair Distillery is known for its creativity and the fun they bring to the flavors of its drinks.

Corsair, which is constantly experimenting and inventing, has one of the biggest product lines of any craft distillery, with more than 25 spirits available at various points during the year.

With seven types of whiskey, a range of moonshine flavors, flavored vodka, and gin, you can find everything and anything you want at Corsair Distillery!

9. Company Distilling

You may recognize this distillery as H Clarck Distilling, however, they changed their name in 2020. With a new master distiller, Company Distilling is back and better than ever.

This brand-new dream team created an innovative whiskey that was finished with maple wood and matured in oak barrels. They intend to open a second facility in Townsend, Tennessee, soon, complete with a restaurant and tasting room.

Their Thompson’s Station is located just 45 minutes outside of Nashville making it the perfect place for a date night or a trip for visitors.

10. Standard Proof Whiskey Co.

Located in downtown Nashville, you can easily make your way to Standard Proof Whiskey Co. for some nighttime entertainment.

A bartender who realized how good a combination of coffee and rye is by giving it to his buddies after hours founded this rye-focused spirits firm. The product lineup of Standard Proof has grown to include a few aged straight rye whiskeys as well as other rye infusions such as pecan, ginger, and mint.

They also offer two cocktail classes a day from Tuesday through Sunday making it an excellent choice for a weekend with the girls.

11. Leiper’s Fork Distillery

Leiper’s Fork whiskey pays homage to the whiskey-making methods used by early American settlers, and Leiper’s Old Natchez brand is clear and free of oak. Also, they provide outstanding aged rye, Tennessee whiskey, and bourbon that have benefited from time spent in barrels.

This distillery, located in a barn made from a 200-year-old cabin, introduces ancient frontier history to this illustrious Nashville suburb.

12. Old Glory Distilling

Old Glory Distilling is located an hour outside of Nashville but it is worth the trip. Old Glory’s distillers spent five years releasing their first small-batch Tennessee whiskey made with locally sourced grains. Patience is the motto there.

While they waited, they did release some whiskey from small barrels, which age quicker than conventional casks, as well as vodka, gin, white rum, and various flavor-infused moonshines; as a result, Old Glory now has a rather wide range of products.

13. Short Mountain Distillery

When this small-batch distillery was established using recipes passed down from “retired amateur distillers” in the neighborhood, it was best renowned for its genuine moonshine.

Since then, they’ve added a few whiskeys to their lineup, including the first Tennessee whiskey produced with just organic grains and malts.

If you’d like, you may even enroll in a private on-site mixology session for groups to learn from the pros.

14. Big Machine Distillery

Are you more of a vodka drinker over whiskey? After being acquired by music mogul Big Machine Records, Big Machine Distillery has become a large competitor.

Producing platinum-filtered premium vodka, drinks mixers, spiked coolers, and the most exciting cocktail kits.

You can get your night started or take the edge off at the Big Machine Distillery.

15. Tennessee Legend Distillery

Tenessee Legend Distillery is iconic within Nashville. Located in Marathon Village, it is famous for its award-winning White Lightening Moonshine and Salted Caramel Whiskey.

This family-run business ensures that community is at the core of everything they do. Especially with their free tastings. Simply show your ID at the bar and get 5 free samples of their whiskey or moonshine.

Everyone has to make sure to stop at Tennessee Legend Distillery and check out their awesome collection.

16. Yee-Haw Brewing Co.

Yee-Haw offers more than a regular distillery tour. With two stages, a beer garden, live music, a hot chicken truck, and tacos on-site, you can easily spend the entire day on their campus.

The moonshine tasting is an excellent way to get more bang for your buck. Or you can enjoy a riveting tour of the beer distillery to discover how they create such delicious flavors.

Opening in 2015, this distillery may be young but they are certainly making a splash in Nashville.

Final Thoughts

Nashville has been the place of living life to the fullest for hundreds of years. Whether you are a music lover, want to experience life in a unique way, or simply want to sip on a delicious beverage as the sun sets, you can do it all in the craft distilleries in Nashville, Tennessee.

Above are 16 of the best distilleries in Nashville so that your cup never goes empty. From whiskey to moonshine, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Well, those over the age of 21 of course.

Check them out and see where it all started for distilleries in Nashville, Tennessee.