Building a family legacy, one sip at a time.
When founder Lieutenant General Mike Basla retired from the US Air Force, he returned to his roots in Central New York determined to help grow the local economy, create jobs, and give something back to veterans. The Maples farm, its natural limestone-filtered spring, and the premium quality local ingredients made a distillery an attractive option. Learn more from our friends at I Love NY.
Starting From Scratch
Established in 2017, Madison County Distillery was born on The Maples—our 80-acre farm rich with history and heart. At the center of it all stands our handcrafted barn, built with care using 200-year-old reclaimed wood sourced directly from the property. The result is a warm, welcoming space that feels both timeless and deeply rooted in the land.
We're also committed to sustainability and our vision is to one day grow and harvest many of our own ingredients right here—bringing every bottle even closer to home.
“My vision for this land is to have it be self-sustaining and make it more beautiful than we found it.”
Mike Basla
Meet our big crazy family.
Hi. We’re Mike, Rebecca, Marissa, Adam, Wendy, Beth, Larry, Sara, Melanie, Joe, Theresa, Peter, Stephanie and nine grandchildren, making up Mike’s next generation.