Historic distillery in historic hotel a draw for the San Luis Valley

Story and photos by Jay McKinney

Within the agricultural hotspot of the San Luis Valley, 1874 Distilling became the first local distillery when it opened more than four years ago. It’s rather surprising, given the sheer size of the valley (larger than some eastern states) and the fact that it produces many grains utilized by far-away distilleries. As the valley’s first, the founders of 1874 realized the value in producing spirits with local ingredients and running a tight-knit operation where they could slash transportation costs and build communal relationships with farmers.

The distillery, located in the same building as Del Norte’s historic Windsor Hotel, opened at the worst time in recent history: March of 2020. While nobody could predict or prepare for a pandemic, the distillery was fortunate to be able to serve the community when the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reached out to see if it would produce hand sanitizer. That kept the team busy throughout the year and by December of 2020, the distillery finally had its first sale. Nearly six months later in June of 2021, the tasting room opened too.

In its mission to keep everything local, 1874 strictly produces spirits with what can be grown in the valley, including barley, wheat and rye. The distillery also has a partnership with its neighbors, Three Barrel Brewing, which is located two blocks away and does the mash for the distillate.

“Basically, everything that goes into a bottle is grown within 20 miles of our front door,” says distiller Micah Reynolds. This is the fourth distillery that Reynolds has worked for, and he says it’s unique because a lot of places don’t have millions of farmable acres right at their doorstep.

The distillery hopes to be a leader in the recently designated single malt category by using the flavors of the valley. However, it also produces vodka, gin and liqueur as well.

“American single malt is a new category and we’ve kind of known that was coming down the pipeline and so we’ve sort of geared our products toward being a leader in that category,” Reynolds says. “In the next five years, I would expect to have a couple of (American single malt) gold medals.”

In September 2023, a cottonwood-smoked single malt was the first batch of whiskey the distillery released. On the nose, the whiskey has notes of smoked cherry and dried fruit, and it finishes light with a subtle flavor of tobacco and a hint of mint.

1874 Distilling is led by an assortment of people with different backgrounds and occupations including a brewer, a CPA, mixologist, sommelier, a couple of farmers and others. Three of the partners own the hotel as well, which is what truly brought them together in this endeavor.

The Windsor Hotel

One of the most unusual aspects of the distillery is that it is located within the same building as the Windsor Hotel. Originally built in 1874 (hence the name of the distillery), the Windsor is a Middle Victorian building that is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. It was almost demolished in 1993 and sat vacant for about 25 years, but now, thanks to a major restoration, it’s operational once again.

The building was restored with the help of a historical architectural engineer, who found the same colors that were originally used and even the same press used to press the tin on the ceiling. Walking into the hotel feels like stepping back into the 19th century, when Del Norte was a bustling Wild West town.

However, in the renovation there were some major improvements made to make it hospitable in the 21st century. The hotel currently has 20 rooms. When it was first constructed there were 30 rooms occupying about the same amount of space that nine rooms occupy today. With bedpans and a communal bathroom, it probably felt more like a hostel than a hotel.

Guests now have 20 modern options with rooms featuring a variety of sleeping configurations and a suite that is rumored to have been a woodshop or a dancehall back when it first opened.

“It has a lot of character,” says co-owner Kevin Haas. “Ninety-eight percent of the restoration work was done by artisans and craftsmen in the San Luis Valley. The only thing they needed to farm out was the fire suppression and the elevators.”

It really is a community investment and a cornerstone in Del Norte, and the valley as a whole. While the town’s population is still comparatively small (roughly 1,500 people), recent years have seen immense growth.

“Humbly speaking, I think Del Norte is becoming the center of the valley again, because of its resurgence and its wealth of business that we have coming back,” Haas says. “Ten years ago when I came here, there was nothing going on. It’s pretty interesting to see the growth in just a few years.”

As bad as it was for the distillery’s opening, the COVID-19 pandemic enabled people to flock to smaller towns like Del Norte and can be credited with the recent boom in business Haas speaks of. When remote work became acceptable and there was an emphasis on solitary outdoor activities versus indoor gatherings, many city slickers headed for the hills.

But what has set Del Norte apart from other destinations is its proximity to the Rio Grande and surrounding mountains, which provide an abundance of year-round outdoor opportunities.

Jay McKinney grew up in Sedalia and graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. During his free time, he enjoys playing golf, shooting pool and hiking throughout Colorado and neighboring Utah.

This story is in our July-August print issue. Click here to read the full magazine.