CRAFT DISTILLERY

Corsair Distillery & Taproom

Nashville,
Tennessee
— Whiskey, Moonshine, Gin, Rum, Brandy, Liqueur

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

COCKTAILS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

DISTILLERY SNAPSHOT

🧪
Mad Science
Nine grains in one bourbon recipe
🔥
Triple Smoke
Beech, cherry, peat malts combined
🏭
Marathon Village
Historic car factory turned creative hub
🌾
Grain Experiments
Quinoa whiskey that tastes like nothing else
🥃
Live Production
Watch distillers work while you taste
🎯
No Rules
Chocolate malt barrels and maple syrup aging
📞 (615) 499-6577
🌐 https://www.corsairdistillery.com/marathon/
📍 1200 Clinton St #110, Nashville, TN 37203, USA

ABOUT THIS DISTILLERY

Nashville's Mad Scientists Making Weird Whiskey Work

Corsair Distillery & Taproom sits in Nashville’s Marathon Village, a former car manufacturing complex turned creative hub at 1200 Clinton Street. Founded in 2008 by childhood friends Darek Bell and Andrew Webber, this operation started as a hobby that spiraled into one of Tennessee’s most experimental craft distilleries. Bell, a former brewing chemist, and Webber, who left behind a career in marketing, launched Corsair with a 240-gallon copper pot still and zero interest in playing it safe with traditional recipes. What began in a garage in Kentucky moved to Nashville in 2010, where the duo set up shop in the historic Marathon Motor Works building. They’re not your typical bourbon-focused Tennessee distillery—instead, they’ve built their reputation on weird and wonderful spirits that push boundaries. Bell, who serves as head distiller, treats the operation like a mad scientist’s laboratory, experimenting with everything from quinoa whiskey to pumpkin spice moonshine. The 15,000-square-foot facility houses multiple copper stills and serves as both production space and visitor destination. The Marathon Village location feels more like stepping into an industrial playground than a traditional distillery tour. You’ll walk through the production floor where Bell and his team are likely working on their next oddball creation, whether that’s aging whiskey in specialty barrels or distilling something that’ll make bourbon purists clutch their pearls. The attached taproom pours their extensive lineup alongside craft cocktails, and you can actually see the stills working while you drink. It’s loud, it’s a bit chaotic, and it perfectly captures the experimental spirit that makes Corsair worth seeking out.

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WHAT SETS THEM APART

Quinoa and Triticale In Your Glass

Corsair stands apart because they genuinely don’t give a damn about whiskey orthodoxy. While most craft distilleries stick to safe bourbon and rye recipes, Bell treats grain bills like art projects—they’ve made whiskey from quinoa, buckwheat, spelt, and triticale. Their barrel program is equally unconventional, aging spirits in everything from chocolate malt barrels to specialty wood like beech and cherry. The operation spans multiple states with locations in Tennessee and Kentucky, but the Nashville spot serves as their experimental headquarters where small-batch weirdness happens daily. They’re also one of the few distilleries that’ll openly admit when something doesn’t work, which has earned them respect among spirits nerds who appreciate the transparency.

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

FOOD AVAILABLE

COCKTAILS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Industrial Playground Not Tourist Theater

Tours happen throughout the day and take you right onto the production floor where the actual work happens—no ropes keeping you away from the action. You’ll smell the fermentation tanks bubbling away and see Bell or one of his team members explaining why they decided to age this batch in maple syrup barrels or what happens when you distill beer into whiskey. The taproom feels like a neighborhood bar that happens to be attached to a distillery, with bartenders who know the stories behind every bottle they’re pouring. Tastings include both their core lineup and whatever experimental batches they’ve got ready to test on brave souls.

IS IT WORTH VISITING

Worth It If You Like Surprises

If you’re looking for pristine copper stills and white-glove treatment, look elsewhere. But if you want to see what happens when creative chemists get their hands on distilling equipment, Corsair delivers something you won’t find at bigger operations. The spirits range from genuinely excellent to deliberately weird, and that’s part of the appeal. Whiskey geeks will appreciate tasting things they’ve never encountered before, while casual visitors get to see a working distillery that feels authentic rather than sanitized for tourism. Just don’t expect everything you taste to be your new favorite—experimentation means some swings miss.

⚠️ VISITING TIPS

Book tours online ahead of time, especially on weekends when Nashville tourists discover the place. The Marathon Village location can be tricky to find—look for the old brick buildings and follow signs to the distillery once you’re in the complex. Parking is free but limited, so arrive early if you’re visiting on busy days. Ask specifically about their experimental releases during tastings since those change frequently and represent what makes Corsair interesting. If you’re driving from downtown Nashville, it’s about 10 minutes but GPS sometimes gets confused by the Marathon Village layout.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Corsair Distillery & Taproom — Visitor FAQ

Do I need to book tours in advance?
Yes, especially on weekends when Nashville gets busy with tourists. You can book online through their website or call ahead. Walk-ins sometimes work on weekdays, but don’t count on it during peak times.
What makes their whiskeys so different?
Corsair experiments with unusual grains like quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth instead of sticking to traditional corn and wheat. They also age spirits in unconventional barrels and aren’t afraid to try techniques that bigger distilleries would never risk.
How do I find the distillery in Marathon Village?
Look for the historic brick buildings off Clinton Street and follow the signs once you’re in the complex. GPS can be wonky, so don’t panic if it seems like you’re in the wrong place—keep looking for the Corsair signs.

GETTING THERE

Find Corsair Distillery & Taproom

📍1200 Clinton St #110, Nashville, TN 37203, USA

 — 

📞 (615) 499-6577

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