LOCATED JUST off Main Street, this 16-acre distillery and vineyard includes a tasting room for Hopwood Winery. On a random Thursday, the small room may be packed with visitors sipping drinks and noshing on charcuterie. A row of automated pour stations takes up a side wall. This is the perfect spot for a date night when one-half of the couple doesn’t enjoy bourbon. You won’t find gin, rum, or any other hard spirit here; William Rose is the rare Hoosier distillery that focuses entirely on whiskey.
The whiskeys—all small-batch—pack a lot of flavor in a glass. Distiller Janet Hopwood is known for her big proofs. Her flagship Indiana Bourbon clocks in at 110 proof, but, surprisingly, isn’t harsh. (It won Spirit of the Year at the 2021 Monterey Wine Festival.) The rye whiskey has hints of caramel with a fruity finish. Coffee lovers may want to try the limited-edition Zombie Fuel bourbon that was barrel aged for three years with coffee beans and almonds. The non-aged whiskeys have a bit more bite to them.
WILLIAM ROSE DISTILLERY 12 E. Cedar St., Zionsville, 317-873-4099
HOURS Tue–Sat 1–6 p.m., Sun 1–5 p.m.
