FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Georgia Business Journal Feature: House of Applejay Distillery and the Rise of Liqueur-Focused Spirits in North Georgia

East Ellijay, GA — Jan 31st, 2026 – House of Applejay Distillery has been named Best of Georgia Distillery 2025, a statewide recognition highlighting excellence in business performance, product quality, and visitor experience within Georgia’s craft spirits industry.

The designation is awarded by Georgia Business Journal, a Georgia-based business publication focused on entrepreneurship, regional economic development, and growth-oriented companies across the state. Its annual Best of Georgia program recognizes businesses that demonstrate sustained market presence, strong customer engagement, and measurable regional impact within their industry.

Founded in 2022, House of Applejay Distillery operates with a distinctive liqueur-first approach, positioning liqueur as a primary spirits category rather than a secondary or flavored extension. The distillery emphasizes all-natural production methods rooted in historic European techniques and adapted for modern American craft, placing it in a rare and specialized position within the U.S. spirits landscape.

House of Applejay’s portfolio includes all-natural liqueurs and fine spirits named after real mountains in the Southern Appalachians, each labeled with geographic coordinates to reflect a strong sense of place. Production focuses on natural maceration, real ingredients, and additive-free flavor development designed for refined cocktail programs and premium retail placement in the American South.

Beyond production, the distillery functions as an agritourism and educational destination, offering tastings and history-driven experiences that explore the cultural origins of liqueur, distillation practices across centuries, and global drinking traditions. This integrated model of craftsmanship, education, and visitor engagement contributed to the distillery’s statewide recognition.

The Best of Georgia Distillery 2025 designation further positions House of Applejay as a leading example of heritage-driven innovation within Georgia’s spirits industry and underscores its growing role in the state’s business and tourism ecosystem.

Link to Press Releases
https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/883269647/house-of-applejay-named-best-of-georgia-distillery-2025-by-georgia-business-journal

GBJ Article

https://gbj.com/stories/house-of-applejay-distillery-a-liqueur-focused-spirits-business-in-north-georgia

### About House of Applejay Distillery:

House of Applejay Distillery is a Georgia-grown agritourism destination founded by Caroline Porsiel, a distiller and liqueurist specializing in all-natural liqueurs and fine spirits. Located in East Ellijay, Georgia, the distillery is open to the public for tastings, tours, and educational experiences rooted in historic methods and modern craft, developed for distinctive cocktail programs and premium retail placement in the American South.