Award-winning distillery launches Whisky Wenches Spirits Society

By Kristen Kuchar

When Amanda Engelhorn started fielding whiskey-related questions behind the bar at Spirit Hound Distillers, it sparked an idea to try to make a change. The taproom manager and talented mixologist noticed that some of her female customers seemed to feel a bit out of their depth when it came to whisky. Queries were often accompanied by “is this a stupid question?” in the Lyons tasting room.

She wanted to find a way to help educate women interested in learning more about spirits and create a welcoming space for them to celebrate whisky. Enter Whisky Wenches Spirits Society, a group that welcomes everyone from beginners to whisky connoisseurs.

The goal is to offer an educational, inclusive space for events featuring experts from Spirit Hound Distillers and beyond. Some initial meetings covered the basics, such as what whisky is, how it’s distilled and the differences between whisky, bourbon and rye whisky (the owners at Spirit Hound choose to spell whisky without the “e,” common for whisky in Scotland and Canada).

And what better place to learn? Spirit Hound Distillers was named Whisky of the Year and Best in Show in 2022 at the London Spirits Competition. Other accolades include awards from the Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits Competition, Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival and the San Francisco World Spirit Competition, among others.

Whisky Wenches has also done pairing events and learned the basics of cocktail making. For Engelhorn, curating creative and tasty cocktails within the tasting room comes naturally from a love of cooking and an appreciation of flavors. She wanted to share her passion ,and when she launched the group, she asked attendees what they wanted to learn. “You guys are driving the bus,” she told the crowd.

The group is a fun, intelligent and interesting group of women who are curious and love to learn about booze, Engelhorn says.

The women had the unique opportunity to make their own gin and to be involved with every step of the process. They sampled different gins to learn more about it and discuss and discover what was liked. They talked about common botanicals, such as angelica root, coriander, citrus peel, lime flower, cinnamon, clove, fennel and anise to see what would be a good fit for their own gin recipe.

Despite a labor-intensive process, Engelhorn said the experience was fun and so popular they’re doing it again. The all-female made gin, named Revelry, was released in 2018. “It’s a lighter, not super floral, more approachable gin,” she says.

The spirit received great feedback and was very well-received by customers. Once it ran out, people wanted to know when it would come back. The gin was expected to be ready in March.

The group meets monthly and welcomes newcomers. Another great way to discover more about whisky is to simply visit the tap room for a whisky flight or a spirits flight. Guests can also try a variety of fresh cocktails that are divided into categories – spirit-forward, refreshing, savory and sweet. You can expect the drinks to change with the seasons.

Engelhorn’s advice to those looking to learn more is not to be intimidated. “Don’t feel bad about asking questions,” she says. And if whisky isn’t your thing, that’s perfectly fine, too. It’s your palate – not right or wrong.”

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