Whiskey Del Bac sits in an industrial complex on Tucson’s south side, where founder Stephen Paul and his team make mesquite-smoked single malt whiskey. Paul, a former software engineer turned distiller, opened the doors in 2013 after developing what he calls “American Single Malt Whiskey” using local mesquite wood to smoke the barley. The 5,000-square-foot facility houses custom copper pot stills and focuses exclusively on single malt production, making it one of the few distilleries in the Southwest dedicated to this style. Paul’s journey into distilling started during a trip to Scotland, where he became fascinated with single malt production but wanted to create something distinctly American. He spent years perfecting his mesquite-smoking process, using wood from the Sonoran Desert to give the whiskey a unique southwestern character. The team includes head distiller Amanda Schay, who joined in 2019 and brought experience from other craft distilleries. They produce around 200 barrels per year, aging everything on-site in the desert heat. Visitors get an up-close look at the entire process, from the mesquite smoking room where barley gets its distinctive flavor to the barrel room where whiskey ages in Arizona’s extreme temperature swings. The tasting room feels more like a neighborhood bar than a tourist destination, with concrete floors and industrial lighting. You’re tasting whiskey that genuinely tastes like nowhere else, with that mesquite smoke coming through in every sip.