This Colorado Distillery's Cactus Spirit Captures the Spirit of the Southwest

Dry Land Distillers, which is located in Longmont, is all about embracing and celebrating its namesake, the “dry lands” of the American Southwest.

Friends and co-owners Nels Wroe, Marc Staats and Aaron Main originally wanted to start a brewery, but day jobs and everyday life put the idea on the back burner. In 2017, a freelance side project introduced them to the craft distilling scene, and the concept for Dry Land was born.

The trio wanted to do Colorado justice, explains Wroe, with the goal of creating one-of-a-kind spirits that truly represent the spirit of the American West, even when that meant sourcing ingredients that are more expensive or a bit more difficult to work with.

“You can taste the original ingredients in all of the spirits,” says Wroe who, with a background in home-brewing and a love for food and cooking, is passionate about the elements used in each product.
There’s no better example of this than Dry Land's Cactus Spirit. The team originally wanted to make a high-altitude agave alcohol, but the idea to use cactus was sparked when Wroe’s dog had a tough encounter with the iconic Southwest plant on a local hiking trail. The resulting spirit is distilled from prickly pear cactus that is smoked over a mesquite wood fire for 48 hours and is reminiscent of mezcal.

The Cactus Spirit was recently named one of the 2023 Good Food Award winners, which not only takes into consideration products with exceptional taste, but also environmental responsibility. “We are very passionate about that kind of scrutiny and transparency through the supply chain,” Wroe says.

The smoke-forward, earthy spirit has a long finish and a slight sweetness that can transform a cocktail. “The smoke really becomes a player opposed to a dominant characteristic,” Wroe notes. In the tasting room, located at 519 Main Street in downtown Longmont, you’ll find it used in the popular Smoky Margarita as well as an Adobe Cactus cocktail.

Wroe says that when using the Cactus Spirit in a cocktail, consider it as you would a tequila or mezcal. It pairs well with lime, orange and grapefruit, as well as spicy ingredients such as adobe and Thai chile. Too much sweetness can muddy the flavors and dull the smokiness, he adds.
The Cactus Reposado is a barrel-aged version of the same award-winning spirit. It also offers Cactus Añejo, which is barrel-aged between one and three years and is recommended as a sipping spirit, best served on the rocks or with a twist of lime. These limited-release versions have tasting notes that include pipe tobacco, sweet plantain and clover.

The Cactus spirits aren’t the only products done differently at Dry Land. Whiskeys here are single-grain 100 percent wheat whiskey — wheat requires less water than commonly used corn or barley, making it fitting for Colorado. The grain for its Antero Wheat Whiskey is grown thirty miles northeast of the distillery. It was developed and grown by Colorado State University’s agriculture department, in partnership with Colorado growers, as a sustainable option for the state's harsh, dry climate. “All of our spirits are made with intent and purpose,” Wroe says.

Dry Land's Heirloom Whiskey is made with White Sonora wheat, which grows in the deserts of the Southwest and is drought-tolerant and disease-resistant. The Dry Land team also cultivates and harvests its own yeast specifically for heirloom grains.
Where many bourbons tend to be bold, spicy and robust, Dry Land’s whiskeys are more subtle, with lots of depth and finesse. The grain-forward spirits are approachable with a natural sweetness. Wroe says the Heirloom Whiskey often gets compared to high-quality Japanese whisky. Tasting notes of Antero Wheat Whiskey include mole, candied orange and black tea, and for the Heirloom Whiskey, expect walnut, Rooibos and Manuka honey.

Dry Land's Native Colorado Gin uses all Colorado botanicals, such as rose hips, bee balm and elderberry. While the typical gin is often quite juniper-forward, this one is gentler and more floral. “It’s a gin for people who are new to gin,” Wroe says, with notes of light spruce, sage and pine.

For its small-batch rum, Dry Land uses pure cane syrup and sugar cane from family growers in Louisiana and Florida.

The distillery's sustainability efforts go beyond mindful sourcing. Its cooling system reuses cooling water that powers the air conditioners; steam is recycled to heat the building; and spent grain is given to Black Cat Farms in Boulder. In 2021, Dry Land was awarded the title of Most Sustainable Business from Partners for a Clean Environment and the City of Longmont.

Inside its Longmont tasting room, everything is made in-house, including bitters, vermouth, cordials and liqueurs. A housemade cola and grenadine are mixed with whiskey and soda water for a take on the Roy Rogers. Its versions of Campari and vermouth are blended with Cactus Spirit and agave syrup for the La Rosita. Cocktails change seasonally, and weekly cocktail specials sometimes revolve around a theme or what’s available at the farmers' market, such as lilac flowers, which it has used to make a floral simple syrup.

Other options include flights, non-alcoholic beverages, locally made desserts and small plates from GB Culinary and Peachtree Farmstead. The focus of the television-free space, which the distillery bills as a "conversational cocktail lounge," is on community and connection.

Along with the tasting room, you can get a taste of Dry Land's products at several eateries in Longmont, including Martini's Bistro, West Side Tavern and Jefe's Taqueria.

Dry Land Distillers is located at 519 Main Street, Longmont, and its tasting room is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m. Friday and 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday. For more information, including a complete list of restaurants and retailers that carry its spirits, visit drylanddistillers.com.