To me, there's something special about a visit to Yankee Distillers. There's a sense of "We know what we want to do, and we're gonna do it!" here that I haven't gotten from many other distilleries. Being off the beaten path, it's not someplace that will get a lot of casual drive by's - they get the people who want to come here. I wasn't sure what would be of interest to me here. After the tastings, I was very pleasantly surprised to find it would be their vodka! I'm not normally a vodka person, but there is a very short list of distilleries that make a vodka I can actually sip, and I just added their Eleven Lakes Vodka to that list, most likely right at the top. Finishing a very close second was their Rye. By the way, the ingredients for these come 100% from New York State. And with so many distilleries in NY shortening their aging, I appreciated that all their whiskies age a minimum of 6.5 years. The people here definitely love their craft and appreciate conversation with folk who have an understanding of distilling. If, of course, you can make it past the very effective guard dogs, Basil and Barley - though it's not so much they're protecting the place, just making sure they get their much deserved attention from you before, during, and after, your drinks. There's almost always something new going on here; when we arrived today's list had just been freshly laminated. Visit often. read more

This review will be short and sweet. The Yankee Distillery is making their own booze on site and serving it at a simple bar as soon as you walk in. They are going the extra mile by making authentic mixers made with real ingredients. Take one look at the container of bloody mary mix on the bar and you will see what I mean. I ordered the Manhattan and it was fabulous. Every sip was perfection. The owner is a very warm and happy fella who clearly loves his business. The other draw at Yankee is the team of pugs that meet you on arrival. They look like loaves of bread with smooshy faces connected. One will sit on your lap with out any coaxing! This is a happy place serving happy things. The bottles of booze are a bit pricey but the drinks are reasonable. Definitely get out and enjoy one soon! read more

Yankee Distillers - a pug looking at the camera - Distilleries Near Me - Clifton Park, New York

I have had the pleasure of tasting (and purchasing) some of the Yankee Distiller's work at the Sunday Saratoga Springs Farmers Market in the past. Since we happened to be doing a quick visit of Schmaltz yesterday, we decided to take a peek at what goes on at the actual distillery. It's a really nice space with super friendly people. Very clean! Lovely selection of cocktails to choose from...and, of course, straight-up whiskey, vodka or rye tastings. I will definitely be back to take the tour sometime! read more

I learned more in Matt's one hour distillery and tasting tour than that one year of chemistry back in high school! Matt and his wife Brianna are exceptional people. When we walked in after our limo fiasco they had three specialty drinks set up for our bachelorette party: spiked lemonade, spiked sweat tea and sangria. Each one got rave reviews. We couldn't have asked to have been stranded for two hours at any other place. The tour and tasting for $5 was so worth it! Matt was a great guide answering a ton of questions from the bunch of us. We tasted his Eleven Lakes vodka, Whiskey and Bourbon. He made a special drink for the bride to be which was also fantastic. Next time my hubby and I are in the Saratoga area we will be visiting!! read more

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If you are looking for a place just to chill with your friends over some unique drinks, this is the place to go. My husband and I love distilleries and wineries. I have my fare experience on cocktails however, I believe i have now found my favorite spot. Very low key, chilled place serving some amazing drinks. My favorite was the strawberry balsamic.. it's a must try to my gals that like something slightly sweet with a little kick. The service was excellent!! I believe some days they have food trucks as well. read more

Yankee Distillers - Strawberry balsamic - Distilleries Near Me - Clifton Park, New York

I was lucky enough to have tired this at a wedding I was at when the best man brought to the groomsman room. I had two glasses near and this was one of the smoothest bourbons I've ever had. So the next day I tracked down where this place was and proceed to purchase a bourbon and a Rye to bring back to Florida. They offered tours but we were only stopping by for a couple of bottles but ended up sampling some of their fine cocktails. The Apple Crisp cocktail was simple and start forward once the ingredients were revealed but the ability to mix a fine drink like this is another level. If I lived in the Clifton Park Area I would stop by regularly to see what great concoctions they create read more

Delicious cocktails, great bartenders. Had a private party going on while we were there, had a bit of wait- worth it. read more

Yankee Distillers - two glasses of beer on a barrel - Distilleries Near Me - Clifton Park, New York

Great small time atmosphere. Everyone makes you feel like you're apart of the locals. Great spirits to drink. Super friendly. Go check out this neat little place. read more

What an awesome little gem. The owner is behind the counter too which makes it all the better. He's incredibly knowledgeable in his trade, so he represents well. They do complimentary tastings of all of their spirits. I'm not a huge bourbon or rye girl but they had a vodka that was fantastic. I ordered was blackberry honey cocktail. OH MY GOD. I loved this drink. They put a solid two shots in it and you can't taste a drop. It was light and fruity and perfect. Yum yum yum. My husband ordered the apple mixed drink with their bourbon. Wow. Like I said, bourbon isn't my thing but that drink tasted like fall and an apple pie had a baby. So yummy. It warmed you up for sure. If we didn't live so far, we would go back again and again. Very very cool place with a chill vibe. OH AND DID I MENTION TWO LITTLE PUPS?! read more

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We LOVE Yankee Distillers, cannot recommend it enough. We actually used the back room for our private event - rehearsal dinner and everyone was super impressed with the service, location, and products. We always look forward to visiting this spot and will find any excuse to visit again! read more

We were turned away at 8:04pm even though Apple Maps and Yelp said they were open until 9pm. We got a babysitter so that we could grab a drink only to get turned away. The person that turned us away said "every other site says 8pm." But why would I check multiple sites for their hours of operation. Poor communication loses customers read more

Review time kids! So the bride and I decided we wanted to get a special Christmas gift for my brother.He's a connoisseur of fine spirits with a discerning pallet, we had to accomplish this mission post haste! Upon entering the tasting room you will take notice of the very clean modern decor. With a small bar,a couple of tables and couches,it's very cozy! There is a large viewing window where all the wizardry happens. With the large tanks in the back and very cool looking distillate tower front and center! Brother is really a scotch man and we had a dilemma.we explained this to the owner, and he recommended the bourbon and offered a small tasting of his craftwork. We took his educated advice and ran with the bourbon!(he loved it!) I have only one problem, I have to find an excuse to get back up there to get a bourbon for myself !! read more

had a fantastic stop here after stopping by Shmaltz brewery. Matt and Brianna were amazing hosts in their distillery. it was very nice to check this place out and chat with the owners and come to know how he came to where he is. Great time, drinks and company. read more

Love these guys. Always some new concoction to try and they are very open with their tasting pours and random "try this" options. We always point people visiting here! They also now have two beers on tap from a place in Glens falls so your non-spirits people can tag along. Though there is a good chance you will convert once you try their product. read more

My husband and I stopped by here on a whim and were so surprised by the experience. The quality of the vodka, Bourbon and Rye was superb, and the passion of the owners was evident in their service. Both were personable and passionate. Matt took the time to show us around and treated us like long lost friends. It turns out that he and Scott are doing some seriously interesting things with their whiskeys. We stopped in for a tasting, stayed for a cocktail, and left feeling like friends... I'm currently home sipping on a Yankee old fashioned (made with maple syrup, per the guidance of the distiller) and can't wait to go back. read more

My friends and I had a nice time at Yankee Distillers. We were treated to a tasting of their spirits and then a few of us ordered cocktails. The gentleman mixing the drinks seemed a little frazzled; unfortunately, my friend did not receive the drink she ordered but graciously accepted what she was served. The drink, in my opinion, looked better than it tasted. While I enjoyed the basil-infused vodka, the cooler lacked depth and I detected no notes of lime or mint as advertised on the cocktail menu. I liked the folks running the place, and their amiable pug Barley, so I would return and give them another try (and try a different cocktail). They are also a stone's throw away from Shmaltz Brewing, of which I am a big fan. We'll see ya later, YD! read more

Yankee Distillers - Distilleries Near Me - Clifton Park, New York

Great spirits and wonderful people to tell you all about them - cucumber lemonade vodka cocktail YUM!!

A great tour with very experienced and knowledgeable staff. Their products are amazing and I would recommend taking a tour of their distillery. Be sure to bring home some of their vodka! read more

Owner was awesome super friendly best whiskey I've had and I'm not a whiskey drinker. Trivia night was fun

Not quite knowing what we'd get into, we headed here to kill some time (and brain cells). WHAT a place. Unusually handsome tasting room well accessorized with pugs. Beautiful bar. Affable staff. Scored a peerless Manhattan and took home a couple of bottles of their stuff: the rye and the vodka. Well, hope to get it home as we're visiting and left it locked in the trunk. Super yummy stuff. Highly recommended spot. read more

This was such a great little distillery we discovered while visiting the area. We came in right at opening on a Saturday around noon and the owner was all ready for our group. We had 5 people and he was great with giving out samples and telling us about all the products they make. Samples were all free! We got to try bourbon, rye whisky, vodka, and rum. We also ordered some cocktails to have afterwards. They were reasonably priced $8-9 and had some interesting concoctions. Everything we tried was high quality and delicious. I loved hearing about the history of the place and you could tell the owner was passionate about distilling a good product. Oh and he uses all local NY state grains and ingredients. This is a must try place. Keep an eye out for the two pugs running around too! read more

Makers Mark who? Jameson what? This is the only place my boyfriend and I will get whiskey. Sorry Tennessee, but Upstate NY has you beat! We first came here years ago when they opened for a tour and tasting, and haven't looked back since! I honestly can't say enough about these guys but I'll try... Scott is so excited and proud of the work he is doing, and you can tell he truly loves and is behind his own products. You can usually find him at all the local farmers markets (and we do), we always appreciate when he recognizes us - you can always count on Scott for a good conversation. Matt and Brianna are the best, they work together so well and Matt always has new ideas for signature cocktails to share with us - all of which we are so excited to try! I'm never disappointed with Matt's creations, and I'm so disappointed if we miss out on something awesome going on there. Currently I'm obsessing over the Cordwood (seriously, I bring up this drink in casual conversation just so I can tell people about it). Matt, like Scott, is so proud of his whiskey, and rightfully so. It's damn good. Barley and Basil, the official mascots of Yankee Distillers, are the perfect cherry on top at Yankee. I can always count on those two for a good laugh. Just don't give them too many pretzels. Plus, let's be honest, any place feels instantly better when there are dogs in it. We are taking advantage of the small homey feel of this place before word truly gets out and it's swarmed with more loyal patrons like us. But even when that happens, make no mistake, we'll still be there! Tip: Bring your empty bottles back when you're done with them! Help save the planet - they reuse them! read more

Yankee Distillers - Distilleries Near Me - Clifton Park, New York

Fabulous clean industrial space with a small tasting area/bar (tastings are free, limited menu of cocktails are what you'd usually pay) fronting the distillery, which can be toured for a fee. They feature a very good bourbon, excellent rye and a very smooth, faintly sweet 5 times distilled wheat vodka, all from locally sourced ingredients. All of these are worthy of being sipped neat. They also make a rum that by law they cannot sample/sell here as a local NY craft distiller because it's made from Caribbean molasses. Staff are passionate, knowledgeable and friendly. And to make it even better...they're directly across from Schmaltz brewing, so you can make it a twofer...just be sure to have a designated driver in this still Uber-less land. read more

Came here for a tasting on the Spa City Brew Bus. Tried the smoothest vodka that I have ever had... and I'm a big vodka fan. The whiskey was also very good. The owner is clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. Highly recommend!!! read more

I visited on a Saturday. I loved all the spirits... vodka, bourbon whiskey and rye! They were all fantastic. The staff were great and I fell in love with their pug! I bought three bottles and will be coming back for more on my next trip to NY. read more

It's never a quick stop at the Yankee Distillery because they are so passionate about their craft they are compelled to share the details with you. The science of fermentation and distillation is fascinating and their tour will reveal information that proves why their product is far superior to most commercially produced spirits. The tasting room is a friendly gathering place where samples are available and cocktails made with their products are sold. Besides the award-winning bourbon and rye whiskeys, they produce a vodka that will make any drink a top shelf experience. Their products are available in an increasing number of pubs and liquor stores around the Capital District. Try some, buy some, and support this local business. read more

Overall good experience, especially for such a young company, but needs a little more to bring it to five stars: The good: - GREAT tour. The owner was friendly, funny, and taught us all about the distilling process. He was so engaging that I might even remember some of the details-- high praise indeed. - Really good alcohol. Nice samples. - Affordable, too! - While I'm thinking about it, all the people that worked there were great The so-so: - Limited drink menu. I'm not sure what to order if you don't like to really be able to taste the strong spirits. I know it's a distillery, but I'd like to see a wider variety and few gentler drinks. - No food I heard they might add some hard cider. etc. to the menu, so we'll have to try again in a few months. My sig other really enjoyed the visit! read more

Great bourbon, great cocktails, great company. I like this place a lot. Get here at least once if you can. Be sure to try all their bourbons and their pitcher drinks taste great too. Always a good time, never disappointed. read more

Had a top notch time at Yankee! Scott and Matt were extremely passionate about their product and went above and beyond to showcase that.

Stopped here after going to the brewery across the street and so glad we did. We enjoyed our tastings and had a couple mixed drinks. I'm a big whiskey fan and the Manhattan was great. The guys who worked there were fun and had some great stories. They had the best ginger beer I've ever tasted too. I would definitely recommend! read more

Extremely cool space, and the people were awesome. Bartender was so personable and I had an awesome sweet tea with their vodka. Definitely have to try it! read more

Wonderful tasting, education on the product, and most importantly the people running the joint are so friendly! BTW adorable pug on site!

Great drinks, awesome staff, friendly atmosphere, (and pugs!) Bourbon old-fashioned is always a favorite, and the apple crisp drink is a must-have. read more

Went as a group of four using a Groupon we bought. Didn't even know there was a distillery this close to where we lived. Before the tour the bartender made fantastic cocktails based on our different tastes. I highly recommend the old fashioned. Cocktails were made fresh and tasted fantastic. One of the distillers took us through a tour of the distillery from beginning of the process to barrel aging. He was knowledgeable and funny. He answered a ton of random questions we had about the process since this was our first experience with a distillery. You can definitely tell there is a lot of passion involved with setting this place up and during the process of making some excellent whiskey. Tour ended with a sampling spree. Sampling was way bigger than any of us expected. We were fortunate enough to sample the rye, bourbon, vodka and a very surprisingly good previous batch of bourbon that went through some different steps to yield a delightful flavor. The small tasting glasses were included in our Groupon and they're kind of neat. I'm not the snobbiest of whiskey people but I thoroughly enjoyed the tasting. I ended up buying a bottle to take home because I don't know when I'll be back. hopefully it holds me over. read more

Amazing business, went with a large group (10 people) and they could not have been more accommodating. The owner personally gave us a tour and a tasting including unreleased whiskeys. If I could give more than 5 stars I would. read more