When it comes to sipping on refreshing libations, it’s best to go straight to the source. No one is better at creating cocktails with wonderfully paired flavor combinations than the distillers who lovingly made the spirits. So, when you’re looking to enjoy the perfect refreshment, make sure these two Western Colorado distilleries are on your list.
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Colorado’s oldest independently owned and operated distillery, Peach Street, is located in Downtown Palisade and is definitive proof that there is more to the area than just wine. Dedicated to making the best spirits possible, Peach Street uses local ingredients to make their highly sought-after bourbon, vodka, tub gin, and brandy. When they say local, they mean all you have to do is walk out the back door to see the fields that are growing the pears, plums, apricots and other ingredients used in the pursuit of quality. Peach Street makes micro-batch quantities, allowing them to maintain perfection with each barrel.
To try some of their award-winning spirits, visit the tasting room in Palisade. Open seven days a week, this bar has a rustic feel and attitude that embodies the spirit of the distillery. Enjoy the atmosphere complemented by intricate lighting, unique artwork, and friendly company that might take you back to the feeling of a 1930's speakeasy. When it comes to cocktails, try anything with their pear brandy because you are going to want to talk about it! Each spring, the folks at Peach Street work tirelessly to tie bottles around budding pears, allowing the fruit to grow inside the glass bottle. When it's ripe, they pick the pear which is intact inside the glass bottle, fill it with brandy and let the juicy fruit infuse for a taste you won't find anywhere else. Their plum infused tub gin is another Peach Street original that any gin enthusiast needs to try.
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Making some of the finest Colorado vodka and gins since 2017, Highland Distillery might be newer to the game, but they play that to their strengths, bringing new and innovative techniques to the distilling process. In their Twelve Gin, Highland mixes fresh juniper with 11 other select botanicals for a one of a kind gin. Highland takes the extra time to create their spirits, and you will taste their dedication as you sip on their artfully crafted designer cocktail menu.
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The same love and care were just as important when designing the tasting room. Highland Distillery took an 80-year-old farmhouse nestled among the vibrant purple fields of the Belli Fiori Lavender Farm and renovated it to create a tasting room that is as much a piece of art as it is a bar. You can also reserve the tasting room and spacious outdoor patio area for private events or parties.
When deciding what to drink, try the Provence Lemon Lavender Cooler – Highland vodka with lemon juice, muddled blackberries, and lavender syrup from the lavender farm. Bloody Mary fans will go crazy for the Blood Sweat and Tears – vodka with house-made bloody mary mix, Old Bay, and finished with a cheeseburger garnish. From the gin menu, try the Confluence – gin with muddled raspberry, grenadine, lime juice, soda, and a lavender, lime and raspberry garnish.
In addition to tasting rooms, both distilleries offer tours. Dive into the process of making micro-batch spirits, from choosing the grains and fruits, to how different barrels affect the color and flavor of whiskey or brandy. Enjoy tastings and samples along the way, and you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the craft.
Learn more about the flavors of Grand Junction on page 19 of the Grand Junction Visitor Guide.
