McLaughlin Distillery

What started as a hobby DSP for founder Kim McLaughlin became full-time when he left his career in the oil and gas industry. After finding a dilapidated house, he enlisted the help of his son and transformed it into a working distillery. A hands-on builder with 25 years of dairy farming experience, Kim took on the art of distilling, went all in on a 100% corn mash bill, and even began making his own barrels—something you’ll hear more about on the tour.

To say there is something for everyone here is an understatement. The distillery boasts more than 40 different products, ranging from Bourbon to moonshine to vodka. If there is a flavor you like, they probably have it.

The atmosphere is fun, quirky, and out of the ordinary. The house feels like a modern moonshine shack, with cedar shingles, a tin roof, and a backyard grain bin setting the scene.

Tours focus on their commitment to using local grains, the mash-making process, their unusual off-grain corn distillation, and how their barrels are made. You’ll also have the chance to sample spirits at the beginning, middle, and end of the tour. One of the highlights is tasting the spirit straight from the still, then experiencing the effects of their mini-casks by dipping in for a sample of their Baby Barrel Bourbon. Beyond the basics, the tour becomes an open forum for questions and often shifts to match the interests of the group. And with the distillery operating six days a week, there’s a strong chance you’ll see the equipment in action.

LISTEN FOR/WATCH FOR

I'd say ask about the name of their 3799 Bourbon, but you may be able to guess when you first drive up. Listen for how long they age their 3799 Bourbon and Cask Strength Baby Barrel Bourbon.

2026 TASTING EXPERIENCE

Your tour starts with a tasting, then there is a sample straight from the still, the pulling of Baby Barrel Bourbon right from the mini-cask, and more tasting at the end.

GETTING THERE:

Take Exit 68 off of I-79. The distillery is on the west side of the freeway, just a block away on the right. Sign and wooden fence. Gravel drive.

BASIC TOUR HOURS:

• Monday through Saturday tours at 12:30pm, 1:45pm, 3:00pm, 4:15pm, 5:30pm, and 6:45pm. Sundays tours at 12:00pm, 1:15pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm, and 5:00pm.
• Max of 17 people per tour unless arranged otherwise.

DREW'S TOP THREE REASONS TO VISIT

1. To say this place has a lot of quirky elements is an understatement. Forget ocean-aged whiskey, there is a motorized rocking chair in the tasting room with a 10 gallon cask of "Grandma's Rocking Chair Whiskey." To know when the water in their boiler is ready, they listen for the rattle of a tin soup can. You will know the place is both excentric and eclectic when you're greeted by Snoopy and Big Foot before you even step indoors.
2. Distilling corn whiskey off-grain (in other words, without the grain in the stripping still) is rare in the U.S. It is more of a single malt technique. Taste for yourself how much flavor this single grain provides.
3. Can't beat a free tasting, especially when there are so many products to choose from. However, you may want to purchase the tour to go even deeper. Log in or sign up for a free Whiskey Lore Membership to get a discount code for 50% off a McLaughlin Distillery tour.

SIDE TRIPS

• Downtown Sewickley: a walkable upscale village with tree-lined streets, historic mansions, and over 100 independent shops, restaurants, and cafes.
• Duquesne Incline: a funicular that has traveled up the side of Mt. Washington since 1877. View Pittsburgh and the three rivers from the observation deck.

CLOSEST DISTILLERY TOURS/TASTINGS

• Wigle Whiskey: Pittsburgh (13.3 miles SE)
• Big Spring Spirits: Pittsburgh (13.6 miles SE)