Turnbuckle Distilling
Overview of the Distillery
Turnbuckle Distilling is located in Broomfield, Colorado, and operates as a small Highland craft distillery. The distillery produces a signature blue corn bourbon, rye whiskey in selected expressions, as well as gin, rum, and vodka, and it stands out by combining locally oriented ingredients with hand-picked barrels and small-batch production.
Ingredients and Production
Turnbuckle's production relies on a blend of local and specially selected ingredients. The signature product is a blue corn bourbon based on sustainably grown blue corn from foothill soil at the foot of Sleeping Ute Mountain, and the distillery notes the use of 'specially-sourced grains' and hand-picked barrels. Gin and rum have a base of evaporated cane juice; the rum is supplemented with premium molasses. For gin, a traditional 'Old World' distillation technique is used and a composition of botanicals such as juniper, coriander, lavender, rose, lemongrass and citrus zest. Distillation takes place in small batches with a focus on craftsmanship over volume. Several products are bottled as single barrels or undergo special finish programs, which is a deliberate method to create distinct expressions from each barrel.
Aging and Barrel Types
Turnbuckle works with several specific aging strategies. Blue Corn Bourbon is bottled as a single barrel and aged at least two years. A straight bourbon undergoes at least two years of aging in charred oak barrels and is then finished for about six months in red wine casks. The gin gains extra complexity by resting in used bourbon barrels, and the rum first rests in bourbon barrels before a final finish in red wine casks.
Whiskies
The core of the whisky range consists of a Blue Corn Bourbon (single barrel), a Straight Bourbon with red wine finish, and a periodically released Rye Whisky as a limited edition. These whisky expressions are complemented in the distillery's overall portfolio by gin (including a floral- and citrus-oriented Foothills Gin and a barrel-rested gin), rum and vodka. The range emphasizes small batches, cask experiments, and recognizable, locally sourced ingredients.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Corn Bourbon Single Barrel | Bourbon | Aged at least two years | Single barrels | Signature blue corn bourbon, made from sustainably grown blue corn and bottled as a single barrel. Intended as a Colorado bourbon and recommended for cocktails such as Old Fashioned.; Nose: Notes of almond, vanilla and dark cherry (stated in the product description). | Current; Core range | |
| Straight Bourbon Finished in Red Wine Cask | Bourbon | 50 % | At least two years in charred oak barrels + ~6 months red wine cask finish | Charred oak barrels and Red wine casks (finish); finish: approx. 6 months finish in red wine cask | Starts as the company’s Blue Corn Bourbon, aged at least two years in charred oak barrels and finished in red wine barrels for about six months. Bottled at 100 Proof.; Aftertaste: Finish from the red wine cask after at least two years of aging in charred oak barrels. | Current; Core range; Popular at farmers markets and tasting events (noted for this edition) |
| Rye Whisky Limited Edition | Rye | Premium barrels | A limited edition rye, made from selected rye and matured in premium barrels. Available only periodically.; Nose: Notes of almond, white peppercorn and toffee (stated in the product description). | Limited; Released periodically |
Styles and Flavor Profiles of the Whiskies
Flavor profiles range from nutty and sweet tones to spicy elements: the blue corn bourbon is described with notes of almond, vanilla and dark cherry; the rye edition highlights almond, white peppercorn and toffee; the rum is noted for honey and vanilla. The gin appears floral and citrus-forward via botanicals such as lavender, rose and citrus peel. These documented elements recur across several products.
Philosophy and Craft
Turnbuckle articulates a clear craft-oriented approach: small-batch production, handmade spirit bases, and use of locally inspired ingredients. The distillery also emphasizes sustainability in raw material choices, including blue corn grown on ancestral soil, and works with targeted barrel selections to create distinctive expressions.
Sustainability
Blue corn is sustainably farmed on ancestral soil at the foot of Sleeping Ute Mountain.