Made In Montana: The Montana Distillery Experience

These made in Montana cocktails showcase exactly why the Montana distillery scene is thriving. Plus: Glacier National Park's best hotels and restaurants where I tried them all!

My tours, meals, drinks, and accommodations were part of a press trip in conjunction with the TBEX conference. ​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Made in Montana: The Montana distillery scene doesn't get any better than when you can explore behind the scenes with a cocktail in hand.

What does it take to convince me to try the best spirits from the best distilleries in Montana? Admittedly, very little! During my recent trip to Western Montana however, I had a particular motivation behind my quest. I began my trip in the city of Billings, which is famous for its craft beer and walkable beer trail. That's great for Billings, but not so great for me as I'm not particularly keen on beer. But when I found out that Montana was a leading producer of spirits I knew I had found my niche. I'm not sure why it never dawned on me that vodka, gin, rye, and rum would all thrive here. After all, growing grain is one of the things that Montana does best! As I was to discover, they're pretty darn good at processing grain too - and turning it into delicious cocktails. 

I soon learned that conducting "research" on the best spirits and cocktails in Western Montana isn't an easy task. There are A LOT of amazing made in Montana distillers, creators, and cocktail shakers! My current list is but a small sampling of the spirits and distilleries Montana has to offer, with my personal thoughts on the tasting rooms, the cocktails I sampled, the restaurants where I ate, and - when those restaurants were in National Park lodges - my notes on some of the best hotels near Glacier National Park.

​It's my hope that this rundown of Western Montana's best local flavors will encourage you to visit and have your own "spirited" visit. Like me, I suspect you'll encounter more flavor, fun, and fanciness than you ever imagined. 

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