Complete Guide to Visiting Hochatown Distilling Co. — Oklahoma's Best Craft Distillery | The Liquor Connoisseur®
- connoisseurofliquo
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Hochatown Distilling Co. is the most complete craft distillery operation Crystal and Roger have visited. Located in Broken Bow, Oklahoma — two hours southeast of Oklahoma City in the Ouachita Mountains — it's worth the drive. Here's the complete guide to visiting.
Getting There
Hochatown Distilling Co. is located near Broken Bow, Oklahoma in the heart of the Hochatown tourism corridor — the same area known for cabin rentals, Beavers Bend State Park, and the Ouachita National Forest. It's approximately 2 hours from Oklahoma City and 3.5 hours from Dallas. The Hochatown area itself is a weekend destination with dozens of restaurants, breweries, and outdoor activities alongside the distillery.
The Distillery
Hochatown Distilling produces grain-to-glass spirits including their flagship Loyal & True Reserve Bourbon — the Oklahoma craft bourbon that Crystal and Roger tasted alongside spirits writer Fred Minnick and called genuinely competitive with Kentucky. Their lineup spans bourbon, corn whiskey, and other expressions using locally sourced grain.
The Tasting Room
Hochatown's tasting room allows visitors to sample the full spirits lineup in a welcoming, education-forward environment. The staff explain the production process, the grain sourcing, and the aging philosophy. Crystal and Roger did a two-part episode series from the distillery — both episodes are essential viewing before your visit.
What Crystal and Roger Recommend Ordering
Start with the Loyal & True Reserve Bourbon — the flagship expression and the one that earned Hochatown its reputation. Try the corn whiskey to understand the base distillate before aging. Ask about any special releases or single barrels available in the tasting room that aren't distributed widely.
The Oklahoma Climate Advantage
Oklahoma's extreme temperature swings — hot summers and cold winters — create an aggressive aging environment that matures bourbon faster than Kentucky's more moderate climate. Hochatown bourbon aged in Oklahoma warehouses has more exposure cycles (the seasonal expansion and contraction of liquid into and out of the wood) than comparable Kentucky expressions at the same age. This is terroir — and it shows in the glass.
→ Full Hochatown Visit Episode Part 1
→ Full Hochatown Visit Episode Part 2
→ Hochatown Loyal & True Reserve Bourbon Review
→ Oklahoma Craft Distilleries — Complete Guide
📍 Book a Private Oklahoma Spirits Tasting With Crystal and Roger
Crystal and Roger lead private spirits tasting experiences. Corporate tastings from $1,500. In-home tastings from $500. Virtual tastings nationwide.
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