At its Maryland distillery, Arthur Wheeler Spirits Company makes an award-winning portfolio of whiskey, rum and agave spirits, with bottles designed to bring people together. The company also operates a cocktail lounge and tasting room at Free State Distillery, where its scratch-made drinks and tours offer a direct introduction to the spirits. In its first year of competition, Arthur Wheeler earned seven international awards, including the 2025 Small Batch Whiskey of the Year.
Small Batch Whiskey of Year 2025
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London International Spirits Competition Gold Medal
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Sagamore SpiritOn Baltimore’s waterfront, Sagamore Spirit distills Maryland rye whiskey at a five-acre distillery, taking its grain-to-glass approach from local agricultural partnerships to bottles proofed with limestone-filtered water. Its rye whiskies have earned more than 200 international awards, including the 2019 World’s Best Rye Whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The distillery also welcomes visitors for tours, tastings and cocktails at its Nineteen O’Nine whiskey bar.BALTIMORE, MD
Old Line SpiritsFounded by two Navy aviators, Old Line Spirits distills American single malt whiskey and aged Caribbean rum at its Baltimore distillery. Mark McLaughlin and Arch Watkins opened the Highlandtown operation to the public in 2017 after learning the craft in Washington state and building their production partnership in Ohio. The 25,000-square-foot distillery also houses The Ready Room, an aviation-inspired cocktail bar, and welcomes visitors for tours and tastings.BALTIMORE, MD
Baltimore Spirits CoFounded to restore Maryland rye production to its Baltimore home, Baltimore Spirits Co. is a small-scale, true pot-still distillery built around local whiskey heritage. Its team makes Epoch Rye entirely in house, from mashing through aging, while using the distillery as a place for visitors to learn about Maryland rye and blend a custom bottle.BALTIMORE, MD
Silverback DistilleryChristine “Hooch Mama” Riggleman and her husband, Denver, founded Silverback Distillery in 2014 after a visit to Scotland sparked Christine’s interest in distilling. Today, Christine serves as the company’s owner and master distiller, with more than 48 international spirits awards and recognition as the first woman distiller to release bourbon under her own name. Silverback operates tasting rooms in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and Pennsylvania’s Poconos, where visitors can learn about its craft spirits in a relaxed setting.EAST STROUDSBURG, PA