As Lancaster County's only operating distillery—and indeed its first since Prohibition—Thistle Finch Distilling has a lot of expectations and assumptions to deal with. Thankfully, it seems more than up to the task, considering it's already been included in a New York Times tour of Amish Country's high-end farm-to-table renaissance.

The Spirits

The flagship spirit is the straight rye whiskey, made from rye, wheat, and malted barley grown in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties. With sweet and spicy flavors, it's full of American-style character. The small-batch distillery has also introduced Market Alley gin, accented with citrus and other locally sourced flavors, and Penn Square vodka, which is filtered multiple times over.

The Distillery

Although it's housed in a turn-of-the-century tobacco warehouse listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the facility's star is a shining copper still built in 2013. But the rest of the distillery is certainly eye-catching, too. Wooden barrels rest against rough-hewn stone walls, a stunningly architectural staircase leads upstairs, and exposed brick surrounds the industrial bar, which plays host to tastings for guests and tour-goers.

The Community

There's no shortage of personal touches here. Employees and friends of the distillers apply labels and inscribe bottling dates by hand on each individual bottle. Meanwhile, the bartenders not only pour classic cocktails but also constantly create inventive libations, often based around housemade infusions. The rye whiskey has been infused with everything from habaneros to black coffee to plums to peppercorns.

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