About Us

War Cannon Spirits is a boutique distillery located in the Champlain Valley that produces exceptional small-batch spirits. Our innovative, often regional offerings are crafted for those who expect superior quality, craftsmanship, and authenticity in their bottles. Our spirits aim to raise awareness and educate on historical events, encourage the visitation, preservation, and restoration of historical sites, and inspire future stewards to continue this mission. This is how our original tagline was born: Revolutionary History, Rebellious Spirits.

 

We were founded in 2016 by Paul Besignano, a dual United States and United Kingdom citizen. He aimed to broaden the Champlain Valley’s agricultural influence and rich history to a broader audience through London's cocktail-centric hospitality scene. This mission led him to a 19th-century mill (which has since undergone an eight-year restoration) nestled in the fertile Champlain Valley, near the historic shores of Lake Champlain, from which he drew inspiration for the name War Cannon Spirits, based on two 18th-century British and French forts.

 

Our Chief Distiller, Joel Elder, has 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.’

​