Private company

Kings County Distillery

Logo: kingscountydistillery.com3

Distillery in Brooklyn, New York City

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. It has been described as the oldest operating distillery in New York City.2 It was founded by David Haskell.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

2009Founded1
Whiskey and moonshine
Photo: Lauraparkes102, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

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. It has been described as the oldest operating distillery in New York City.2

The story

Founded by David Haskell in 2009, in New York City.1

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. It officially began production out of its 330 square feet (31 m2) warehouse in April 2010 The name "Kings County" refers to the official county designation of Brooklyn.

In 2012, the distillery moved into the Brooklyn Navy Yard and installed copper whiskey stills imported from Scotland. The distillery focuses on American whiskeys, being named part of America's New Whiskey Rebellion by Whiskey Advocate, 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.

In 2026, Kings County Distillery celebrated its millionth bottle of whiskey sold.

From Wikipedia’s article on Kings County Distillery, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Kings County Distillery, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

Kings County began by releasing an unaged corn whiskey, and later had a wider portfolio of whiskeys aged 2–7 years. Originally, due to small production, only 200 mL bottles were sold; as the business expanded, it began selling 375 mL bottles and 750 mL bottles by 2019.

Kings County Moonshine

Kings County Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Kings County Peated Bourbon

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Kings County Single Malt Whiskey

Kings County Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Kings County Empire Rye

Kings County Chocolate Whiskey

From Wikipedia’s article on Kings County Distillery, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 2009Founded Founded in New York City1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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