Vermont Spirits sits in White River Junction, where founders Harold Faircloth and Ron Elliott decided in 1999 to create Vermont’s first legal distillery since Prohibition. They started with a simple mission: make premium spirits using Vermont ingredients in a state better known for maple syrup than moonshine. The operation runs out of a converted warehouse space where they installed custom copper stills and began what would become a two-decade journey of crafting vodka, gin, and whiskey. Faircloth brought business experience while Elliott contributed the technical know-how, and together they spent months convincing local officials that a distillery could work in Vermont. They focused on using local grains when possible and developing a clean, approachable style that would put Vermont on the spirits map. The team keeps things hands-on, with small batches allowing them to maintain quality control at every step. Visitors get to see the entire operation in action, from fermentation tanks to the bottling line. The tasting room showcases their core lineup alongside seasonal offerings, and you can actually watch production happening during weekday visits. It’s not fancy, but it’s authentic—this is craft distilling without the marketing gloss, where the focus stays on making good spirits rather than creating an Instagram moment.