Celebrate Fat Tuesday With 9 Distilleries Powering Louisiana’s Modern Spirits Scene

The King’s Jester float rolls through during the Rex Parade on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Feb. 13, 2023. (Photo: Peter G. Forest/SipaUSA)

As Mardi Gras peaks on Fat Tuesday, Louisiana’s food and drink culture takes center stage. While New Orleans cocktails often dominate the conversation, a growing group of in-state distilleries now produces whiskey, rum and other spirits rooted in Louisiana agriculture — especially sugarcane and rice.

Louisiana remains one of the leading sugarcane-producing states in the U.S. Several of the distilleries on this list rely on locally grown cane or molasses for rum production, while others use Louisiana-grown rice or regionally sourced grains.

As Mardi Gras culminates on Fat Tuesday, these distilleries represent the state’s modern spirits industry — one that extends beyond New Orleans cocktail culture and into rural Acadiana, Baton Rouge and the Bayou region.

Below is a guide to nine notable Louisiana distilleries producing spirits across the state.

JT Meleck Distillers — Branch

Founded in 2017, JT Meleck Distillers operates on a working rice farm in Branch, Louisiana. The distillery produces spirits made entirely from rice grown on the Meleck family farm.

Its portfolio includes rice vodka and American rice whiskey aged in new oak barrels. The company promotes a grain-to-glass production model, with rice grown, milled, mashed, distilled and bottled on site.

Distillerie Acadian — New Iberia

Distillerie Acadian produces Louisiana’s first bourbon, according to the brand, as well as other whiskeys, vodka and gin in New Iberia. It’s best known for its Cajun’s Cut Bourbon, made from a four-grain mashbill of 69% corn, 12% rye, 6% wheat and 13% malted barley.

Seven Three Distilling Co. — New Orleans

Founded in 2016, Seven Three Distilling Co. is named for New Orleans’ 73 neighborhoods. The company produces bourbon, rye whiskey, rum, vodka and gin.

Its production facility and tasting room are located on North Claiborne Avenue. The distillery distributes multiple spirits within Louisiana and in select out-of-state markets.

Oxbow Rum Distillery — Baton Rouge

Oxbow Rum Distillery produces rum in Baton Rouge using Louisiana sugarcane. Its lineup includes barrel-aged and unaged rum, as well as Rhum Louisiane.

Oxbow is a single estate distillery, meaning every ingredient in its rums come from one location —  a farm in Pointe Coupée Parish, Lousiana. Oxbow operates a tasting room at its Baton Rouge location.

Click here to learn more about Oxbow Rum Distillery.

Sugarfield Spirits — Gonzales

Sugarfield Spirits produces rum, bourbon, vodka and gin in Gonzales. The distillery uses Louisiana sugarcane in its rum production and offers public tours and tastings. It also has an experimental series, which it uses to release limited-time products like cane juice rum. The brand even produces wine and cider after expanding in 2022 to open a winery and cidery.

Wildcat Brothers Distilling — Lafayette

(Photo: Wildcat Brothers/Instagram)

Wildcat Brothers Distilling focuses on small-batch rum made from Louisiana sugarcane.

The distillery operates a tasting room and was founded in 2011.

Roulaison Distilling Co. — New Orleans

(Photo: Roulaison Distilling Co./Instagram)

Established in 2016, Roulaison Distilling Co. is a New Orleans distillery focused on pot-distilled rum made from Louisiana sugarcane molasses.

The company produces unaged and aged rums, along with limited releases available at its tasting room.

Bayou Terrebonne Distillers — Houma

(Photo: Bayou Terrebonne Distillers)

Founded in 2020, Bayou Terrebonne Distillers operates in Houma and produces whiskey, vodka and rum, as well as other products including an Old Fashioned mixer.

According to the company, its origins trace to family moonshining traditions in the Bayou Terrebonne region during Prohibition.

NOËL Family Distillery — Donaldsonville

(Photo: Noël Distillery)

Founded in 2017, the NOËL Family Distillery sells tequila, rum, vodka, and canned craft cocktails in Donaldsonville.