| Kings County Distillery | |
| Type: | Private |
| Foundation: | New York City, New York, |
| Founder: | David Haskell Colin Spoelman |
| Location City: | New York City, New York |
| Location Country: | United States |
| Area Served: | New York City |
| Industry: | Microdistillery |
| Num Employees: | 20 |
| Homepage: | http://www.kingscountydistillery.com |
Kings County Distillery is a distillery located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York City. It produces corn whiskey, bourbon whiskey, and rye whiskey, as well as other American craft whiskeys.
Kings County Distillery was founded by Colin Spoelman and David Haskell in 2009, spurred by changes in New York State law regarding the licensing of microdistilleries.[1] It officially began production out of its 330square feet warehouse[1] in April 2010.[2]
In 2012, the distillery moved into the Brooklyn Navy Yard and installed copper whiskey stills imported from Scotland.[3] The distillery focuses on American whiskeys, being named part of America's New Whiskey Rebellion by Whiskey Advocate,[4] with unusual whiskeys like a Peated Bourbon, American Single Malt, and a craft Bottled in bond bourbon. The distillery also makes Empire Rye, a project to establish a new standard of identity for New York made rye with other craft distillers.
In 2016, Kings County Distillery opened The Gatehouses, a tasting room in the historic Sands Street gate of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.[5]
Kings County began by releasing an unaged corn whiskey, and later had a wider portfolio of whiskeys aged 2–7 years.
In 2016, Kings County Distillery was named "Distillery of the Year" by the American Distilling Institute.[6]