River Basin Distillery sits in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, founded by Ryan Lange in 2018. Lange, a former attorney who got hooked on distilling after a vacation to Scotland, decided to trade his law practice for a copper still. The distillery operates out of a converted warehouse space on Montegut Street, where Lange and his small team produce small-batch spirits using Louisiana ingredients whenever possible. They focus primarily on whiskey and rum, with their bourbon featuring a high-corn mash bill aged in new American oak barrels. The operation stays intentionally small, with Lange handling much of the production himself on a 500-gallon copper pot still. The space feels more like a working distillery than a polished tasting room, with exposed brick walls, concrete floors, and the constant hum of fermentation tanks. You’ll often find Lange himself pouring tastings and talking visitors through his process, sharing stories about learning to distill and the challenges of sourcing quality grains in Louisiana. The distillery reflects New Orleans’ independent spirit, operating as a true craft operation where every bottle gets individual attention.