Before Kentucky This State Led In Bourbon Production

When you think of bourbon, Kentucky is likely the first state to come to mind. This spirited association makes sense; the state's bourbon trail stretches from its northern to western regions, with both smaller and top-tier distilleries responsible for producing roughly 95% of the world's total bourbon. Not too far from Kentucky, however, there's yet another state that has similar roots in bourbon production ... with an even longer-standing history than the Bluegrass State. This hotspot with a lesser-known and surprising bourbon past is North Carolina, which once housed hundreds of pre-prohibition distilleries that predate Kentucky's own legacy. 

Yes, once upon a time, North Carolina was the place for bourbon lovers. According to an Instagram post from North Carolina-based Warehouse Distillery, the so-called Tar Heel State once saw around 400 distilleries in operation prior to prohibition. At that time, the state yielded more bourbon than any other place in the United States, as it nurtured a prime climate for bourbon production. 

Of course, as evidenced by Kentucky's bourbon efficiency of today, North Carolina's whiskey wherewithal faded with the onset of prohibition, paving the path for Kentucky to take over as the leading producer. North Carolina, however, is far from a bourbon desert, with around 100 distilleries running as strong as the whiskey they produce.

The country's best bourbon doesn't actually hail from Kentucky. "Kentucky took over because North Carolina sat out," Jonathan Blitz, the co-owner and founder of Durham, North Carolina's Mystic Farm and Distillery, said in an Eater Carolina's interview. "You can make good bourbon in Kentucky, but we have better conditions here."

Although North Carolina retains land prime for growing wheat, corn, rye, and the like, its role in bourbon production has waned since its pre-prohibition heyday. Around 1909, North Carolina enacted its own prohibition — 11 years before the rest of the country. Bourbon in the state was outlawed, so North Carolina distanced itself from the spirit. The laws have clearly changed since then, but North Carolina has never quite retained its bourbon prowess, though plenty of distilleries have grown and evolved within the state's borders. These include Weldon's Weldon Mills — the state's most-awarded distillery, per its website — Benson's Broadlab Distillery, and Statesville's Southern Distilling Company, among others. 

Sure, none of these distilleries boast the name recognition of, say, Buffalo Trace or Maker's Mark, but why not pair your next glass of Kentucky whiskey with a taste of North Carolina bourbon? That way, you can compare and contrast the spirit's heaviest-hitting producers ... and sip your way through bourbon history.