Asheville Distilling Company sits right in the heart of downtown Asheville on South French Broad Avenue, making it one of the most accessible craft distilleries in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Founded by Troy Ball in 2006, this was actually North Carolina’s first legal distillery since Prohibition ended, which makes it pretty significant in the state’s spirits revival story. Ball, who had a background in brewing and was already running Highland Brewing Company, decided to expand into distilling when he saw the craft spirits movement taking off. The distillery operates out of a converted warehouse space that’s been transformed into a working production facility with tasting room attached, where they focus primarily on whiskey, gin, and seasonal spirits. What started as a small operation has grown into one of Asheville’s most established distilleries, helping pave the way for the city’s now-thriving craft spirits scene. The space itself feels industrial but welcoming, with exposed brick and the constant hum of production happening just steps away from where you’re sampling. You can actually see the copper stills and fermentation tanks from the tasting area, which gives you a real sense of how everything comes together. They’ve been refining their processes for over fifteen years now, and it shows in both the quality of their spirits and the confidence of their operation.
