You walk into a 19th-century factory that once produced corsets and buggy whips, and somehow it makes perfect sense as a distillery. Journeyman opened in 2011 inside Three Oaks' historic E.K. Warren Featherbone Factory, and the building's industrial bones give the place a character that newer craft spots can't fake.

What sets Journeyman apart beyond the setting is the quality of what's in the glass. One of only a handful of distilleries certified both organic and kosher in the country, they draw on locally sourced Midwest grains and water from an underground aquifer on site. Their flagship Corsets, Whips & Whiskey won back-to-back ASCOT Whiskey of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023, and the distillery took home ASCOT Craft Distiller of the Year in 2023. Fred Minnick named it the #1 wheat whiskey in the US.

A guided tour walks you through the production floor and ends with samples in a private tasting room, where the pours come with context on mash bills and flavor profiles. The two bars on campus keep things going after the tour, with cocktail flights and seasonal specialties poured throughout the day.

Hungry? The Staymaker Restaurant seats 165 and holds a James Beard Smart Catch Award, with a menu that runs from weekend brunch to Detroit-style bourbon-crust pizza to pan-roasted trout. Outside, Welter's Folly is an 18-hole grass putting green among the largest in the world, modeled after St. Andrews. Kids golf free, families are welcome, and the whole campus makes for an easy full-day trip from Chicago.