The Block Distilling Co.
Brief overview of the distillery
The Block Distilling Co. is located in Denver's River North Arts District and is a craft distillery that produces all of its spirits on-site. The distillery combines industrial equipment with culinary and chemical approaches, works closely with a farm in Missouri for grain, and operates an active tasting room as well as a membership program called the 225 Club for experimental, limited releases.
History
Building a Local, Experimental Distillery
The Block Distilling Co. has positioned itself as a local, hands-on distillery in River North Arts District by consistently producing all products in-house and by prioritizing experimentation. As part of the development, the distillery has carried out collaborations, including a joint edition of "Helluva" straight wheat whiskey with Colorado School of Mines. Work with raw materials includes a direct partnership with a farming family in Missouri, where the distillery is involved in choices of grain varieties, fertilization, and harvest timing. A central element of the company's recent history is the establishment of 225 Club, an annual, limited membership program with quarterly, club-only releases, release parties, and exclusive online content.
Raw Materials and Production
The production uses wheat and rye. The raw materials come from a collaboration with a farming family in Missouri regarding which grains are grown, fertilization, and harvest methods.
Distillation is carried out on-site using industrial equipment; development draws on both culinary and chemical approaches to create new flavor profiles.
Special production features include: The entire production chain is performed on-site ('every damn drop in house'), close collaboration with the farm to control raw material selection and cultivation methods, experimental, members-only single-barrel and one-off releases via the 225 Club, seasonal gins, whiskies, and vodkas produced locally in a tasting room environment, the membership program (225 Club) as a channel for experimental and limited releases, and a combination of culinary and chemical methods in product development.
Maturation and Barrel Types
Aging work ranges from single-barrel releases to longer aging, illustrated by a 6.5-year Bottled in Bond straight rye whiskey, described as the distillery's oldest release. The 225 Club serves as a platform to experiment with different casks and small-batch maturations, and club releases are often released only to members.
Whiskies
The range includes seasonally based gins, whiskies, vodkas, liqueurs, and experimental one-off products. Among the highlighted whiskies are 'Helluva' straight wheat whiskey (a collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines) and a 6.5-year Bottled-in-Bond straight rye whiskey. The 225 Club also delivers quarterly, members-only releases such as single-barrel whiskies, special gin/vodka, and liqueurs.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helluva straight wheat whiskey | straight wheat whiskey | Collaborative edition between The Block Distilling Co. and Colorado School of Mines; highlighted by the distillery as one of the house whiskies. | Current | ||
| 6.5 Year - Bottled in Bond - Straight Rye Whiskey | straight rye whiskey | 6.5 years | Mentioned as the oldest whiskey The Block has released; described as '6.5 YEAR - BOTTLED IN BOND - STRAIGHT RYE WHISKEY'. | Current | |
| 225 Club Single Barrel Release | single barrel whiskey | single barrel | Members-only single barrel release; members receive two 375 ml bottles of each special release as part of the 225 Club. | Limited; Only for 225 Club members; the club is limited to 225 members per year |
Visiting the Distillery
The tasting room is open several days a week in the afternoon and evening hours and serves as a bar, events venue, and retail point. Release parties, tastings, and events are held, and 225 Club members gain access to private release parties, discounts in the tasting room, and the opportunity to tour the production area on special occasions. The website lists fixed opening hours and mentions a spirits shop and a merch shop for purchases.
The stated opening hours are MON-THU: 12 PM - 10 PM / CLOSED TUESDAYS; FRI-SAT: 12 PM - 12 AM; SUN: 12 PM - 8 PM.
Philosophy and Craft
The distillery's approach is based on producing all spirits in-house and on an experimental approach, where culinary and chemical methods are combined. The Block prioritizes control over raw material quality through close collaboration with farming and emphasizes inclusion and community in the tasting room.