Far from New York’s hustle and bustle is a thriving distillery trail of craft distillers producing bourbon, gin, liqueur, and more. This post provides an ultimate guide to the distilleries on the western NY distilling trail and what they offer.

Lockhouse Distillery & Bar

Named after the revolutionary canal locks which made the region famous, Lockhouse was also the first distillery to set up shop in Buffalo, NY, after the prohibition. The distillery has its roots deeply entrenched in New York’s past.

Lockhouse has a full bar and restaurant open throughout, located in the Cobblestone district. After a distillery tour, you can sample their spirits while enjoying a view of the Buffalo waterfront.

• Location: 41 Columbia ST, Buffalo, NY 14204
• Phone: (716) 768-4898

Black Button Distilling

Jason Barret founded Black Button in 2012, and it has steadily grown to earn a spot among the top grain-to-glass alcohol producers in Rochester, New York.

Even though Black Button is downtown, away from the extensive corn and wheat fields, it sources 90% of its ingredients from New York farmers. You can call ahead to book a tour or walk in any day for a tasting.

• Location: 85 Railroad ST, Rochester, NY 14609
• Phone: (585) 730-4512

Iron Smoke Distillery

Behind each bottle from Iron Smoke is a tale of craftsmanship and expertise of the highest level. The distillery’s primary source of success is producing its spirits using ingredients from its farms. Which means they have control over the whole process.

Apart from only using American equipment, the company also uses American white oak barrels when aging its spirits.

• Location: 111 Parce Ave#5b, Fairport, NY 14450
• Phone: (585) 388-7584

Myer Farm Distilleries 

Myer farm prides itself in producing craft-distilled, estate-grown, and award-winning spirits. The distillery makes all its products from high-quality grains grown on its large farm. 

John Myer and Joe cofounded Myer Farm in 1868, intending to produce the finest spirits, a goal they attained.

• Location: 7350 NY-89, Ovid, NY 14521
• Phone: (607) 532-42800

Rootstock Ciderworks

Rootstock calls themselves the authentic craft alcohol producers in the whole of New York, a fact that’s debatable. However, they may have earned the title considering their strict process to make their spirits.

For instance, they own the land where they grow the vineyards and press, ferment, age, and bottle their products at the site.

• Location: 3274 Eddy Rd, Williamson, NY 14589
• Phone: (315) 589-8733

Finger Lakes Distilling LLC

Finger Lakes is among the pioneer distilleries that brought the art of distillation back to New York. The company profoundly believes in handcrafted distillation, stating that doing so ensures all their spirits are genuine. As a result, Finger Lakes handcrafts all its products to maintain consistent quality.

The distillery primarily focuses on making American Tradition whiskeys but on a smaller scope, and 95% of the ingredients they use are from local farms. These ingredients include wheat, apples, berries, maple syrup, honey, malted barley, cherries, and grapes.

• Location: 4676 Ny’s route 414 Burdett, NY
• Phone: (607) 546-5510

Hidden Marsh Distillery 

Since opening in 2007, Hidden March has dominated the artisan distilling scene of New York. A position the company maintains, thanks to its skilled personnel and stringent production process.

The distillery produces various products, including whiskey, liqueur, vodka, and brandy.

• Location: 2981 US-20, Seneca Falls, NY 13148
• Phone: (315) 568-8190

Buffalo Distilling Company

Here is a distillery that’s been around for more than a century. Buffalo distilling started in early 1880, producing whiskey, brandy, and other spirits. 

It has a midsized bar and tasting room in the Larkin district area, open throughout the week. You can visit their bar for cocktail drinks and live music. To get a tour, we recommend booking in advance.

• Location: 860 Seneca St, Buffalo, NY 14210
• Phone: (716) 254-3610

Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing

Regarded as New York’s first-ever combination brewery, distillery, and winery, Five & 20 spirits is a family-owned company founded in 1972.

This grain-to-glass distillery owns 80 acres of land it uses to produce the raw ingredients needed. The company also collaborates with farmers to obtain materials for making unaged and aged spirits, craft beers, and small-batch liqueurs.

• Location: 8398 W Main St, Westfield, NY 14787
• Phone: (716) 793-9463

Cayuga Ingredients

Cayuga Ingredients is among the top whey-based liquor producers in America. The company doesn’t use the traditional distillation process. They follow a unique method that recycles and produces water. 

For instance, every two gallons of alcohol they distill produces two and a half pounds of animal feed and six gallons of water, meaning their entire process is sustainable.

• Location: 15 Eagle DR, Auburn, NY 13021
• Phone: (315) 364-0070

Old Scotland Road Distillery

The Hyder family has owned and run the Old Scotland distillery for over three generations. Due to its extensive experience in producing alcohol, the company has perfected its craft only to release high-quality spirits.

You can pass by their distillery to look closer at their unique process and sample cocktails in their bar.

• Location: 7010 Scotland Rd, Akron, NY 14001
• Phone: (716) 359-2073

Barrelhouse 6 Distillery

Barrelhouse is relatively new in the industry, it opened its doors in 2021, so it doesn’t have many spirits out yet. However, the distillery has set up a full bar on a 108-foot deck overlooking the magnificent Keuka Lake, where you can visit to taste their cocktails.

• Location: 9558 Middle Rd, Hammondsport, NY 14840
• Phone: (607) 868-3310

Steelbound Brewery & Distillery

From its inception in 2015, Steel bound brewery has aimed to only make exceptional spirits for its clients. In addition, the company strives to create a welcoming and friendly environment, so patrons are free to enjoy their drinks without any worries.

The distilleries bar and tasting room are always open, but we recommend booking in advance for tours.

• Location: 6600 US-219, Ellicottville, NY 14731 
• Phone: (716) 699-2042

FAQ

What’s the best time to visit the Western NY Distilling trail?

Most of the distilleries on this trail are open throughout the year, so you can tour them when you have time. However, during the holidays, it can be hard to get tours as the distilleries will be overwhelmed by many visitors.

Where can I stay?

New York has plenty of midrange and upscale and luxurious hotels you can stay at while on tour. All you have to do is find one that suits your needs.

Other things to do in Western New York

If you would like to take a break from the spirit tasting, there are a couple of places in New York you can check out. These include

• Buffalo City Hall
• George Eastman Museum
• Outer Harbor
• Delaware Park

Conclusion

For spirit lovers, the western New York distilling trail will allow you to sample premium handcrafted whiskey, gin, liqueur, and more from highly skilled distillers.

If you need information about other distillery trails and types of spirits, you can check out Distillery Nearby.