The Boulder Passport: Roundhouse Spirits

Roundhouse Spirits is one of Boulder’s first distilleries. I’ve been fond of their gin and Corretto (the best coffee liqueur I’ve ever tasted) for years now. I don’t make it out to the eastern side of town too often, so it’s been a while since I visited the distillery.  Sean had never been. Good thing the Boulder Passport gave us an excuse to ride our Linuses out there for a cocktail in their new Speakeasy Bar.

Roundhouse is offering two-for-one “Craft Cocktails” as their Boulder Passport special. They have a rather large cocktail menu featuring their gin, Imperial (Barrel-Aged) Gin, Corretto, and Pumpkin King Cordial, made with locally grown pumpkins.

Chef went for a Bubbly tail with Blood Orange Sparkling water. I went with a martini. I don’t even drink martini’s, really, but something felt right about a gin martini just steps away from the still at the distillery.  They also just recently built a Speakeasy Bar in the distillery, and it’s a very cool room in town. All the more reason to taste all 40 establishments in the Boulder Passport!

Roundhouse Imperial Aged Gin

It all started with a cocktail. I was at SALT while guiding one of my downtown dining tours, and my guests got to “mix + match = make merry” with The Cocktail Element. As the esteemed libation experts at SALT know, I really enjoy my cocktails. And not just any ole’ cocktails. Real, thoughtfully prepared, unique cocktails. Sometimes I’m presented with a cocktail that’s not on the menu, or one that is a twist on a classic. That day, out came beverage director Evan Faber with a martini glass.

I, also sometimes known as Megan Maple Bourbon, immediately thought I had been served a bourbon or scotch cocktail, martini style. I took a sip and couldn’t quite place any flavors, but I knew it was a whiskey cocktail.

I couldn’t have been more wrong! I can only explain it like the moment the record player needles slides off the record and music comes to a screeching halt. It was a gin cocktail. A GIN cocktail! And not just any ole’ gin. This was made with Roundhouse Imperial Barrel Aged Gin. It was so golden honey brown, I was fooled. But, this barrel aged gin, disguised as scotch or bourbon to anyone ignoring the label, surprises and delights the palate.

Roundhouse Spirits, “Handcrafted Spirits of Uncommon Character,” is located right here in Boulder, and you can visit the distillery Thursdays-Saturdays from 3-7 pm. I did just that.

These barrels house the next batch of Imperial Barrel Aged Gin. Ted Palmer, el presidente, chief distiller, and tour guide, told me that the first batch had just gotten out to select restaurants and is available in limited quantities in liquor stores. Looks like the Imperial Cocktail at SALT is one of the first official barrel aged gin cocktails in town for Roundhouse Spirits.

Here’s Evan’s recipe:

2 oz Roundhouse Imperial Gin
1 oz Boissiere Sweet Vermouth
Dash of Orange Bitters
Garnish with a cherry

Stir well over ice and strain into a martini glass.

But, back to the place where the magic happens… Ted gave us a great tour of the distillery.

Turns out he has some custom made stills, handmade in Spain.

Ted is very enthusiastic about gin. He said he knew he wanted to make gin from the moment he had his first delicious sip. I was please at the end of our tour to enjoy some delicious sips of his libations. There’s a complementary tasting at the end of each tour, by the way.

Roundhouse Spirits currently makes gin, the newly released barrel aged gin, as well as Coretto, a fantastic coffee liqueur, which features a special roast from Boulder’s Unseen Bean. And, stay tuned for the new spirit… coming soon!

At the tasting bar, we learned about Ted’s theory of artfully producing a “Melting Pot Gin” with flavor profiles from the best parts of all world styles of gin. Come to a tasting and smell all of his choice ingredients and learn which ones are traditional in Dutch, English, and American styles of gin.

I bought a bottle of the first batch of Imperial Aged Gin. I have plans for this bottle…

You can try the Imperial Cocktail at SALT, but supplies are limited. Cocktail possibilities, on the other hand, seem endless.

Lime Rickey