Distillers making drinks that defy simple categories at liquor stores

By Kristen Kuchar

Colorado has no shortage of well-made, high-quality spirits that cover the traditional. Whether it’s a bold whiskey to sip (or add to an Old Fashioned), a vodka for a classic martini, or a gin for your favorite cocktail creations, there’s a spirit for everyone.

But there’s also a push for something new that will attract experienced drinkers as well as novices looking for the latest.

When consumers seek out something totally different, it’s available.

These 10 spirits are just a fraction of the less-common concoctions that some of our state’s artisan distillers have created.

Nordic Gold from Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse

It all starts with a Nordic-inspired spirit, Aquavit, which is aged in rye whiskey barrels. There’s no shortage of interesting additional ingredients – caraway, dill, anise, coriander, juniper, angelica, fennel, peppercorn and lemon. The end result is a golden color with flavors of bright fennel, licorice and vanilla.

Fleur de Sureau from Woods High Mountain Distillery

Fleur de Sureau Elderflower Liqueur is inspired by the French tradition of gathering elderflowers and botanicals in the Alps to use in liqueurs. It all starts from Colorado-sourced white wine that is twice-distilled into a high-proof brandy. From there, it is then infused with Colorado-grown elderflower and minimally sweetened with local honey.

Infused Vodka from CopperMuse Distillery

The idea for The Infusionist series was born inside the Fort Collins tasting room at CopperMuse. The bartenders started to embrace the infusion of fresh ingredients into spirits to create new cocktails. The bottled vodkas are made with bacon, honey and dill, horseradish, habanero and garlic, lavender and more.

Alpenglow Cordial from 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits
This award-winning, neutral-grain spirit is infused with sage and vanilla. There’s a caramel and vanilla finish with a hint of peach and sage on the back end. It can work well in a cocktail, to accompany dessert after dinner or even added to coffee or hot chocolate.

Amaro from Peach Street Distillers

Peach Street’s Amaro, meaning “bitter” in Italian, is a traditional Italian digestif. This complex liqueur is made with Palisade grape distillation, 29 local botanicals and spices, and agave nectar for an added sweetness. Tasting notes include clove, honey and herbal with a velvet body.

Cactus Spirit from Dry Land Distillers

This Longmont-based distillery is creating a spirit distilled from native prickly pear cactus. The cactus is smoked over a wood fire using a process similar to mezcal. The end result is a smoky and earthy spirit that pairs nice with citrus and is great in a spicy margarita.

Galadriel the Bee from Gold Dirt Distillery

For its honey spirit, Gold Dirt Distillery used mead, which is a honey wine, and distilled it like a whiskey. The Rollinsville distillery also aged it like whiskey, resulting in notes of floral honey with a refined oak backbone.

Rocky Mountain Sweet Tea from 3 Hundred Days Distilling

This isn’t your traditional sweet tea. While it is handmade sweet tea, it is blended with traditional Colorado moonshine, making it 40-proof. Other unique moonshine varieties at 3 Hundred Days Distilling include Peach Cobbler, Pumpkin Spice and Cherry Pie.

Cognac Cask Whiskey from Breckenridge Distillery

Breckenridge Distillery imported specific barrels from France for this whiskey – ones that housed cognac aged on average for 25 years. Breckenridge’s bourbon whiskey was then finished in the cognac barrels for two years.

Apple Pie Moonshine from Denver Distillery

Denver Distillery’s Apple Pie Moonshine has a double-dose of Mile High City craftsmanship. The mountain recipe Ghost Spirit Moonshine is cut with locally made dry cider from Colorado Cider Company. The booze is also made with apple pie spices and fresh apples.

Woods from atōst

A wine-based aperitif made with fresh ingredients, Woods is enjoyed by those who like the flavors of whiskey “but just can’t take the burn.” While it’s aged in a whiskey barrel, the finish is smooth and light. Sipped neat, dried orange, vanilla and cherry will greet your senses. Or, craft a Woods Old Fashioned for a twist on the traditional.

Kristen Kuchar is a freelance writer covering food, libations, music and other Colorado gatherings.

This article appeared in the November-December issue of Thirst Colorado. Click here to read the full magazine online, and pick up our print magazine all over Colorado.