Best of KC 2022: Spirits are high

Rows of Union Horse whiskey bottles. // Photo by Jordan Baranowski

This month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can browse the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some of our current favorite things about Kansas City in 2022. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November. 

KC’s breweries often take center stage, from national powerhouses to local faves like Strange Days, Sandhills, Crane, and more. The distilleries of our fair city are nothing to scoff at, and many of them are throwing their weight around with major releases in unique styles.

Union Horse Distilling is helping to lead the charge for a new standard of identity in the whiskey world with their release of Rivalist American Single Malt Whiskey. J. Rieger & Co. continues to raise the bar with their Bottled in Bond Bourbon. Mean Mule Distilling expanded their spirit base—while sticking to what they know best—with the release of their Agave Gin.

All those (and more) started filling our rocks glasses just this year, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.