St. Johnsbury Distillery sits in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, where founders Todd Wehner and Kevin Brooks turned their shared passion for craft spirits into reality in 2014. The distillery operates out of a converted industrial space on Eastern Avenue, producing small-batch whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. What started as weekend experiments in Todd’s garage evolved into a full production facility with custom copper stills and a speakeasy-style tasting room that captures the spirit of Prohibition-era craftsmanship. Wehner brings decades of engineering background to the distilling process, while Brooks handles the business operations and customer experience. They’ve built their reputation slowly, focusing on quality over quantity and developing relationships with local farmers for grain sourcing. The team hand-crafts each batch using traditional methods combined with modern precision, aging their whiskeys in charred oak barrels stored on-site. Their philosophy centers on patience and attention to detail, refusing to rush products to market before they’re ready. Visitors enter through what feels like a hidden speakeasy, complete with dim lighting and vintage decor that makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time. The tasting room doubles as a cocktail bar where you can sample their spirits neat or in carefully crafted cocktails. Tours take you behind the scenes to see their copper pot stills and aging barrels, while tastings let you experience the progression from their clear spirits to aged whiskeys. It’s an intimate operation where you’ll likely meet one of the founders and hear firsthand stories about their journey from garage distillers to commercial producers.