Charleston Distilling

What Charleston Distilling does

Charleston Distilling Co. is a craft distillery founded in 2011 on Johns Island, South Carolina, operating a 10,000-square-foot production facility alongside a 2,100-square-foot tasting room. The company produces a diverse portfolio of spirits that includes vodka, bourbon, gin, rye whiskey, rum, an agave spirit, wheat whiskey, and various liqueurs, manufactured through a grain-to-bottle production process with grain sourced from a local partner, Weathers Farm.

The business generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer channels: visitors to the tasting room, online sales, and paid distillery tours. This DTC orientation positions the company as a destination experience rather than a traditional wholesale spirits operator, and the partnership with Big Thirst Inc. provides a fulfillment layer for broader geographic reach. The product portfolio breadth across multiple spirit categories diversifies revenue across SKUs rather than concentrating on a single flagship.

Operating at a micro/craft scale with 1-10 employees, Charleston Distilling competes in the highly fragmented craft spirits segment. Differentiation rests on award-winning products (gold medals for White Point Vodka and Vesey's Bourbon), local sourcing provenance, and a tourism-driven on-site experience. The competitive position is narrow but defensible within the Charleston-area consumer and tourist market.

Name

Charleston Distilling

Legal name

Charleston Distilling Co.

Website

https://charlestondistilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Charleston Distilling Co. is a craft distillery founded in 2011 on Johns Island, South Carolina, producing vodka, bourbon, gin, rye, rum, agave, and liqueurs for direct-to-consumer sale through its tasting room, online channel, and distillery tours.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Distilled Spirits

NAICS

Distilleries (31214), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

akta.pro primary industry

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

Keywords

• Craft distillery
• Spirits manufacturer
• Grain-to-bottle
• Distillery tours
• Tasting room

Headquarters

HQ city

Johns Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tasting Room Sales: Direct sales of craft cocktails, spirits by the glass, and flights at the tasting room. Includes specialty cocktails, martinis, margaritas, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options.
2. Online Spirit Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of bottled spirits shipped to most US states, processed through fulfillment partner Big Thirst, Inc.
3. Food & Beverage: Food menu sales featuring Southern-inspired small plates, buns, greens, and share plates served alongside cocktails in the tasting room.
4. Distillery Tours: $10 per person tour fees for guided 30-45 minute tours of the distillery floor and stills. Children welcome free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Charleston Distilling Co. is a craft distillery that produces a portfolio of grain-to-bottle spirits—including vodka, bourbon, gin, rye whiskey, rum, agave spirit, and flavored liqueurs—sourced from local South Carolina grain and distilled on-site at its 10,000-square-foot facility on Johns Island, SC. The company sells directly to consumers through a 2,100-square-foot tasting room, online orders shipped to most US states, and paid distillery tours.

Product overview

Charleston Distilling Co. is a craft distillery offering a portfolio of grain-to-bottle spirits including core spirits (vodka, bourbon, gin, rye whiskey, rum, and agave spirit) and flavored liqueurs/creams. The company operates a 10,000-square-foot facility on Johns Island, SC, producing spirits from locally-sourced South Carolina grains. Products include White Point Vodka, Vesey's Bourbon (award-winning), Jasper's Gin, Crosstown Straight Rye, East Bay Rum (including 5.5-year aged), Blue 80 Silver Agave, Carolina Reaper Vodka, Wheat Whiskey, and Costa Gin. The liqueur lineup features Tolerance (cinnamon-ginger), Grimball Farms Smoked Pecan Liqueur, Reaper's Temptation, Bourbon Cream, Mocha Cream Liqueur, and Crema Reserve Coffee Liqueur. All spirits are available for tasting in the 2,100-square-foot tasting room and for online purchase in most U.S. states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• White Point Vodka Smooth vodka made from locally-sourced grains, filtered through coconut-shell carbon for a clean, crisp finish; offered unflavored and as an espresso variety.
• Vesey's Bourbon Award-winning bourbon whiskey crafted from Lowcountry-grown grains and aged in on-site warehouse barrels.
• Jasper's Gin Craft gin produced at the distillery, used as a base for signature cocktails.
• Crosstown Straight Rye Whiskey Straight rye whiskey featuring notes of spice and fruit, used in cocktails such as the Manhattan and Lady in Red.
• East Bay Gold Rum Gold rum crafted from locally-sourced ingredients, including a 5.5-year aged variant matured in on-site warehouse barrels.
• Blue 80 Silver Agave Silver agave spirit (tequila alternative) used in cocktails including the Strawberry Reaper margarita and Matcha's Grasias.
• Carolina Reaper Vodka Infused vodka featuring Carolina Reaper pepper, a super-hot chili variety developed in South Carolina.
• Tolerance Cinnamon-Ginger Liqueur Cinnamon-ginger liqueur used in cocktails like the Blackberry Bourbon Smash and the Escape.
• Grimball Farms Smoked Pecan Liqueur Specialty liqueur featuring smoked pecan flavor, used in signature cocktails including the Smoked Pecan Old Fashioned.
• Reaper's Temptation Liqueur Hot pepper-infused liqueur made with Carolina Reaper peppers, featured in cocktails like the Reaper 75 and Strawberry Smash.
• Bourbon Cream Liqueur Cream liqueur featuring bourbon flavors, used in the Chai Bourbon Cream for the Dirty Chai Tini cocktail.
• Mocha Cream Liqueur Coffee and chocolate-flavored cream liqueur used in cocktails including the Fresh Dude.
• Crema Reserve Coffee Liqueur Premium coffee liqueur offered as part of the tasting flight lineup.
• Costa Gin Gin variety available as part of the tasting flight lineup alongside Jasper's Gin.
• Wheat Whiskey Whiskey made from wheat grain, featured in cocktails including the John's Island Sour.
• Guided Distillery Tours Guided 30-45 minute tours of the distillery floor and stills priced at $10 per person; children welcome free of charge.
• Tasting Room Experience and Craft Cocktails On-site 2,100-square-foot tasting room offering craft cocktails, tasting flights, beer, wine, non-alcoholic drinks, and Southern-inspired small plates; open Thursday through Sunday.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Medal recognition for White Point Vodka
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Big Thirst, Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBig Thirst, Inc. processes and fulfills all online sales for Charleston Distilling Co. They handle order fulfillment for direct-to-consumer spirit shipments to most US states.
• Weathers FarmcoreOthersWeathers Farm in St. George, South Carolina supplies grain to Charleston Distilling Co. This local partnership enables the farm-to-bottle approach and allows recipes to be built around the character of Lowcountry-grown crops.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Regional players

• Dark Corner Distillery: South Carolina craft distillery (Greenville) producing vodka, whiskey, and rum with tasting room and tours. Comparable craft producer and destination model within the same state.

Broad incumbents

• Balcones Distilling: Texas craft distillery producing award-winning whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. Comparable craft spirits portfolio with established awards profile and tasting room operations.
• Koval Distillery: Chicago-based craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, and liqueurs with tasting room. Comparable independent grain-to-bottle craft producer with diversified spirits portfolio.
• New Riff Distillery: Kentucky-based independent craft distillery with broad bourbon and rye portfolio and tasting room. Comparable mid-sized craft producer with vertically integrated grain-to-bottle operations.
• Treaty Oak Distilling: Texas craft distillery producing whiskey, gin, vodka, and rum with on-site tasting room and tours. Comparable craft distillery business model combining production and hospitality.
• Smooth Ambler Spirits: West Virginia craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and other spirits. Comparable mid-sized craft producer with award-recognized whiskey portfolio and tasting room.

Direct peers

• Virgil Kaine Lowcountry Vodka: Charleston-based craft distillery specializing in vodka and gin with a tasting room. Comparable grain-to-glass local craft spirits approach targeting Charleston visitors.
• Striped Pig Distillery: Charleston-area craft distillery producing vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum with on-site tasting room experiences. Closely comparable in product mix and destination-distillery model.
• Firefly Distillery: Charleston-area craft distillery producing a range of vodka, gin, bourbon, and flavored spirits with on-site tasting room and tours. Direct geographic and product-category competitor to Charleston Distilling Co.
• High Wire Distilling: Charleston-area grain-to-bottle craft distillery focused on whiskey and bourbon with a tasting room. Comparable in size, location, and production philosophy to Charleston Distilling Co.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CHSDistillingCo
• Facebookfacebook.com/charlestondistilling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charleston Distilling