Jos. A. Magnus and Co. in Holland Named Michigan's Best Bourbon

In Michigan, we take our adult beverages seriously. Grand Rapids hasn’t earned and kept the "Beer City USA" title by accident, and heavyweights like GR's Long Road Distillers and Traverse City Whiskey Co. are constantly popping up in national headlines.

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Discover Michigan's Best Bourbon

Around my house, though, bourbon reigns supreme. That is mostly because my husband, Charlie, is a huge whiskey fan who is always on the hunt for the next great pour. And he always ends up sharing with my two brothers, who also big on bourbon.

So when Tasting Table released their national roundup crowning the best bourbon brand in every single US state, I had to see who took the Michigan title.

Scoring the top honor is a West Michigan powerhouse: Jos. A. Magnus & Co. in Holland.

A 122-Year-Old Recipe Brought Back To Life

The bourbon brand has a very interesting history. Born in Georgia, Joseph Magnus eventually moved to Ohio, founding the brand in Cincinnati back in 1892.

Production ground to a halt when Prohibition rolled around in 1918, and the story seemed over. Fast forward nearly a century later to 2014, when Magnus’s great-grandson, Jimmy Turner, stumbled upon a few untouched, 122-year-old original bottles tucked away in family archives.

Award-Winning Spirits Handcrafted In Holland

Instead of leaving them on a display shelf, Turner brought in a dream team of spirits industry heavyweights to analyze a few drops and recreate the historic pour. Using high-end cask finishes in sherry, cognac, and Armagnac barrels, they successfully brought the pre-Prohibition legend back to life.

That painstaking effort has paid off in major national accolades, including taking home America's Best Barrel-Finished Whiskey at the 2026 American Distilling Institute’s International Spirits Competition.

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The brand officially relocated its operations to Holland in 2020, tying it right back to the state where Magnus spent his summers and where he eventually passed away. You can even visit their tasting room in person inside the CraftCo Distillery & Social House over at 184 120th Ave.

I have a feeling Charlie is going to start hinting about a trip to Holland soon to get his hands on a bottle of their Cigar Blend, which just celebrated its 10th birthday with a new release.

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Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill