1861 Distillery sits on Smith Avenue in Thomasville, Georgia, marking the town’s entry into the craft spirits scene. Founded by local entrepreneur Mike Mercer in 2018, the distillery takes its name from the year Georgia seceded from the Union, reflecting the deep Southern heritage that runs through everything they do. Mercer, a former real estate developer, got into distilling after years of home brewing and a fascination with the craft whiskey renaissance happening across the South. The operation runs out of a 6,000-square-foot facility that Mercer retrofitted specifically for distillation, installing custom copper stills and aging systems. They focus primarily on bourbon and rye whiskey, though they’ve experimented with moonshine and flavored spirits to keep things interesting. Master distiller James Patterson, who cut his teeth at larger Kentucky operations before heading south, oversees production with an emphasis on traditional mash bills and patient aging. What you’ll find here is a straightforward approach to whiskey making without a lot of flash or pretense. The tasting room has that industrial-meets-rustic vibe you’d expect, with concrete floors, exposed beams, and the constant background aroma of fermenting grain. It’s not trying to be the fanciest place in town, but the focus stays squarely on producing solid spirits and giving visitors an honest look at how it all comes together.