Ned and Jessica Vickers launched Sugarlands Distilling Company in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 2014 with land Ned owned and an instinct Jessica couldn't shake. A decade later, the distillery draws over a million visitors a year and distributes coast-to-coast with a portfolio spanning moonshine, cream liqueurs, vodka, rye whiskey, flavored whiskey, and artisan tequila through a strategic partnership.
Sugarlands built its reputation on craft moonshine—Sugarlands Shine comes in more than 30 flavors including Appalachian Apple Pie, Cotton Candy, and Butterscotch Gold. The brand also produces Mark & Digger's Mountain Legacy Corn Whiskey, a 120-proof unaged expression tied to Discovery's Moonshiners television program. Sippin' Creams, the distillery's dessert-inspired cream liqueur line with flavors like Butter Pecan and Birthday Cake, became a breakout success.
The company expanded beyond moonshine with High Rock Vodka, created with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Amy Earnhardt, using 100% corn refined through the Lincoln County Process. Roaming Man Tennessee Straight Rye Whiskey has collected four Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition since 2021 and took Best Whiskey at the 2019 American Craft Spirits Association Awards. Broken Antler Flavored Whiskey joined the lineup recently, and Sugarlands partnered with Azul Imports to distribute their family-owned tequila portfolio—Azulejos, Skelly, Trophy Head, and Gran Alambique.
Ned Vickers came from real estate development and partnered with Kent Woods and David McMahan to build the Gatlinburg distillery. USA TODAY 10Best readers voted it Top Craft Spirits Tasting Room in America three years running from 2023 to 2025. The distillery's "Tastemakers" lead guests through immersive tastings that became the model for the visitor experience.
"We've never believed in being a one-note company," Vickers said. "Each brand we build has its own personality, but they're all grounded in the same values—quality ingredients, craftsmanship and a sense of place."
Sugarlands keeps many of its original team members and maintains a family-run culture even as distribution reaches national scale. Vickers says he and his partners plan to pass the business to their children. The distillery continues adding brands while keeping the Gatlinburg tasting room central to its identity—proof that location-based spirits tourism can anchor a diversified house of brands without losing the founding story that pulls visitors through the door.
