The Dry Land Distillers 100% Honey Spirit is the culmination of a wonderful collaboration and friendship. This beautiful spirit originated with our good friends who founded Still Cellars, one of the first craft distilleries in Colorado. They took us under their wings as interns while Dry Land was still only a sketch on paper. We credit their kindness, patience, and teachings as one of the pivotal reasons behind Dry Land Distillers success.

During our internship, the Still Cellars team began the difficult process of fermenting 100% local honey. Honey is very challenging to ferment; Mother Nature’s bees have created a unique and delicious ingredient that is naturally sweet and resistant to microbes (which includes yeast). Yeast is the workhorse of the fermentation process, so attempting to ferment an ingredient (honey) that has a natural tendency to prevent the microbes from infecting it – well, you likely see the dilemma.

But they weren’t discouraged or swayed by the challenges. Over time, they nudged, cajoled, coddled, and encouraged the natural fermentation of the wild honey. It took a LONG time – years – before it was ready to distill. During the process, they chose to hand over the spirit to Dry Land Distillers to shepherd it to completion. We spent another couple of years coaxing the spirit into its final state. Together we chose to add a touch of unfiltered 3rd Avenue honey (just down the street from Dry Land) to the final bottles to create a gorgeous, delicate, and slightly sweet spirit like no other we’ve tasted.

It’s an extremely limited release with fewer than 100 bottles produced. It represents all the things that we value at Dry Land: intentional selection of local and true-to-place ingredients; a focus on showcasing the flavors and characteristics of the land and the ingredients; the strength and value in collaboration and friendship; and the delicious outcomes of a well-crafted spirit.

I hope you’ll join us in celebrating our collaboration by picking up a bottle of this rare spirit. They are available to purchase only at the distillery.

Dry Land/Still Cellars 100% Native Honey Spirit

• 42% ABV (84 proof)
• 100% fermented and distilled local honey
• Finished with a touch of 3rd Avenue Honey in each bottle
• Unfiltered (Settling is normal - Shake before pouring)
• $44 for 375 ml bottle

Tasting Notes

• Delicate, slightly sweet and balanced
• Luscious mouthfeel
• Hints of wildflowers and grass
• Hints of rosehips and slight acidity
• Elderflower on the nose

Pairings

• Citrus (lemon and orange are perfect)
• Hard cheeses and olives
• Fresh pastas without red sauce
• Spring vegetables, particularly artichokes and asparagus
• Desserts such as pots de crème, crème brulee, gelato