Woody Creek Distillers sits in Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, about 20 minutes from Aspen in the small town of Basalt. Founded in 2012 by Mark Kleckner and Pat Scanlon, this craft distillery operates out of a 10,000-square-foot facility that feels more like a working farm than your typical spirits operation. Kleckner, a former restaurateur, and Scanlon, who came from the tech world, decided to chase their passion for creating premium spirits using Colorado ingredients. They make vodka, gin, bourbon, and rye whiskey, all while maintaining a hands-on approach that keeps production relatively small but focused on quality.
The duo didn’t just stumble into distilling—they spent years researching and planning before opening their doors. Kleckner’s restaurant background gave him an understanding of what makes spirits work in cocktails, while Scanlon brought business acumen from his previous career. They built their operation around a custom-made 500-gallon copper pot still from Germany, and they source their potatoes from the San Luis Valley for their vodka and grains from Colorado farms whenever possible. The distillery’s name comes from Woody Creek, the nearby area made famous by Hunter S. Thompson, though the founders are more focused on craft spirits than gonzo journalism.
Visitors get a chance to see the entire operation up close, from the milling room where grains are processed to the barrel room where whiskeys age. The tasting room feels relaxed and unpretentious, with large windows looking out to the mountains and into the production area. You’re not getting a corporate tour here—it’s usually one of the founders or longtime employees walking you through their process and letting you taste spirits that represent their commitment to doing things right rather than doing them fast.
