Talnua Distillery sits in an industrial area of Arvada, Colorado, where founders Dave Prichard and Darryl McNabb started making Irish whiskey in 2018. These two friends met working in tech and spent years dreaming of opening a distillery that would bring authentic Irish whiskey production to Colorado. They’d traveled to Ireland multiple times, learning traditional techniques from master distillers there, and eventually decided to take the leap. The name Talnua comes from Irish Gaelic meaning “land” or “earth,” reflecting their connection to both Irish heritage and their new Colorado home. They focus exclusively on Irish-style whiskey using traditional pot still methods in their 5,400-square-foot facility. Prichard handles the distilling operations while McNabb manages the business side, but both are hands-on throughout the process. They installed custom copper pot stills manufactured in Kentucky and use a mash bill that includes malted and unmalted barley, following traditional Irish recipes. The journey wasn’t easy—they spent nearly three years navigating federal and state licensing before they could legally distill, all while perfecting their recipes and building out their space. What started as weekend brewing experiments evolved into Colorado’s first dedicated Irish whiskey distillery. Visitors can see the entire operation from grain to glass in their compact but well-organized facility. The tasting room has a modern industrial feel with concrete floors and exposed beams, but the real draw is watching the distillation process and talking with Dave or Darryl about their techniques. They’re usually around during operating hours and genuinely enjoy explaining why they chose Irish methods over the bourbon production that dominates Colorado craft distilling. The operation is small enough that you’ll get personal attention, but serious enough that the whiskey stands up to scrutiny.