About Us

War Cannon Spirits is a boutique New York farm distillery located in our restored circa 1820 sawmill in the Champlain Valley between two 18th-century British and French-built forts. Our spirits aim to raise awareness and educate on historical events, encourage the visitation, preservation, and restoration of historical sites, and inspire future curators to continue this mission. This is how our original tagline was born: Revolutionary History, Rebellious Spirits.

 

Paul Besignano, Founder

In 2016, Paul founded the company to export the Champlain Valley’s agricultural influence and rich history to a broader audience. This mission led him to an early 19th-century mill (which has since undergone a nine-year restoration) nestled in the fertile Champlain Valley, near the historic shores of Lake Champlain. Paul drew inspiration for the name War Cannon Spirits when the project became based out of the towns of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. Both towns are home to 18th-century British and French forts - Fort Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga.​

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Joel Elder, Chief Distiller 

Our Chief Distiller, Joel Elder, played a vital role in guiding War Cannon Spirits alongside Paul since the project's inception. With a rich agricultural background stemming from his upbringing on Missouri farms, Joel aims to make struggling farms profitable and innovate in value-added agriculture, naturally leading him to distill. His extensive knowledge now serves as the foundation of our industry-leading processes. He was instrumental in New York’s broader craft beverage expansion, working alongside the state’s legislature and agricultural community for over 15 years. Joel provided valuable insights during the revision of New York's farm distillery framework and contributed to agricultural boards for the reintroduction of new barley strains in the state, now widely recognized as ‘Empire Malt.’

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