5 Mile Mountain Distillery sits along Floyd Highway in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, where founders Chip and Shannon Diehl turned their love for craft spirits into reality in 2014. The couple launched their operation in Floyd County after Chip’s background in engineering met Shannon’s passion for hospitality, creating a distillery that focuses on small-batch bourbon, rye, and moonshine production. Their 2,000-square-foot facility houses a custom copper still system where they control every step of production from grain to bottle. The distillery draws its name from the five-mile stretch of mountain road leading to Floyd, emphasizing their connection to the local landscape and community. They’ve built their reputation on using traditional distilling methods while embracing modern quality control, producing spirits that reflect both Virginia’s distilling heritage and contemporary craft standards. The Diehls didn’t jump into distilling overnight—they spent years researching techniques, visiting other distilleries, and perfecting their recipes before opening their doors to the public. What started as weekend hobby experimentation evolved into a full-scale operation that now serves visitors from across Virginia and beyond, offering tastings and tours that showcase their hands-on approach to craft distilling.