We offer a voyage to epic and timeless moments
Care. Duty. Hospitality. Authenticity. Heritage.
Andy and Amy Szwejbka have always been guided by these values. You’ll hear them say things like “all in” and “nothing halfway.” They’re the kind of people you can count on. People who show up. People who are there with the right idea, the right action, the right word of encouragement.
The time had come for Andy and Amy to realize their dream: A world-class distillery right here in Topsail Island. They wanted to create an authentic experience within reach, serving custom vodka, rum, gin, bourbon, and small-batch specialty spirits.
They envisioned a Pre-Prohibition craft cocktail bar and a distillery brand anchored in the lore of 17th-century pirate ships —‘hiding’ from approaching merchant vessels (and authorities)— in North Carolina’s barrier islands. Hidden Ships Distillery set sail.
Today, we invite you to taste something real. Discover how to understand each spirit with tastings and tours modeled after the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Discover an intimate, memorable experience you’ll want to tell friends and family about. Discover a new spirit, a new horizon.
Discover Hidden Ships.
Meet the Team
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The Distillery
Hidden Ships is faithful to timeless distilling methods and the joy of the sensory spirit experience. We offer full tours and instructional tastings modeled after the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, as well as monthly mixology classes, sharing the recipes exacting specification for our Pre-Prohibition inspired cocktails. There is tradition and meaning behind everything we do
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The Experience
Our home has a rich maritime history and legacy, and we celebrate its folklore and stories, true or otherwise. We want our guests to feel entertained—and connected to hundreds of years of North Carolina heritage. From the pirate era of the 17th century to the golden age of cocktails at the turn of the 20th century, Hidden Ships offers a window into the past and an escape from the trendy. Each of us has our own place in history, and we welcome all to tell stories, old and new.
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The Community
Locally and globally, Hidden Ships is an active member of our community. We participate in and sponsor area events and causes that benefit local families. We are committed to sustainable practices across our operations, sourcing local raw materials when available and returning our stillage to local farms. We donate to the White Oak Initiative so that distillers have enough white oak to keep making bourbon over the next century.
OUR ORIGIN STORY
THE HISTORY
Do you know how Topsail Island got its name?
The NC coast has a rich pirate history, and it's said the pirate ships would "hide" behind the island while waiting for merchant ships to arrive before ambushing them, and that the island brush was so thick, that only thing you could see of these ships were their "topsails"...hence Topsail Island!
...This is local folklore, but it'd be cool if it were true.
