Albuquerque Distilling sits in a converted warehouse space on Central Avenue, bringing craft spirits to New Mexico’s largest city since 2016. Founded by husband-and-wife team Jerry and Melanie DeVore, the distillery emerged from Jerry’s engineering background and Melanie’s business acumen, transforming their shared passion for quality spirits into a full-scale operation. The 5,000-square-foot facility houses copper stills and fermentation tanks where they produce vodka, gin, and whiskey using traditional methods with a southwestern twist. The DeVores spent two years navigating regulations and perfecting their recipes before opening their doors, determined to create something authentic in a state not traditionally known for distilling. Jerry handles the production side, drawing on his technical expertise to dial in their processes, while Melanie manages the business operations and visitor experience. Their approach focuses on small-batch production using quality ingredients, including New Mexican wheat and corn when possible. Visitors find a working distillery with an attached tasting room that feels more like a neighborhood bar than a tourist destination. The space showcases the production equipment through large windows, and the tasting room offers flights of their spirits alongside cocktails crafted with their products. Tours run on weekends and provide an up-close look at their grain-to-glass process, with Jerry or other team members explaining everything from mashing to bottling.