Desert Diamond Distillery
Overview of the Distillery
Desert Diamond Distillery sits right by Kingman Airport, just minutes from Route 66 and I-40. The family behind runs an open, visitor-facing distillery where you can taste award-winning rum, vodka, and whiskey at a historic tasting bar. In addition to tastings, they offer events such as dinners, barrel workshops and BBQs, and they have both a retail shop and a cocktail bar on site.
History
The distillery has built recognition throughout the 2010s with international awards for several rum releases. Already in 2010 an early dark rum received a Bronze Medal from the Ministry of Rum. In 2011, several awards followed at the SIP Awards, and in 2012 Barrel Reserve was bottled for the first time and won Gold in San Francisco. In 2019 their 7-year-old wheat whiskey won Gold at the LA Spirit Competition. In 2021 their 10-year Platinum Wax was placed 9th in the world at IWSC, and the same year a top-ten placement was also noted for a 6-year release. In 2021 a special 2-year corn whiskey made from locally grown non-GMO corn was released.
Raw Materials and Production
The products are produced on site: rum, vodka and whiskey ferment, distill, and bottle locally. Raw materials include a 100% wheat whiskey and several 100% corn whiskeys, including a 2-year version made from a special yellow non-GMO corn from the Four Corners region grown on local Native American land. The rum production uses aging in white American oak and French oak, and the distillery describes that the rum is further processed into vodka to achieve a very clean, smooth vodka. A newer project, Rum&Rye, is a collaboration where the rum is produced and aged at Desert Diamond, while the rye portion is handled under Elgin roof.
Maturation and Cask Types
The distillery primarily uses white American oak and French oak for rum maturation, and some special releases like Barrel Reserve are single-barrel bottles with cask and bottle numbers. In the collaboration release Rum&Rye, sherry butts were used for a six-month finish. The Wax series shows a range of ages from two to ten years, reflecting different degrees of wood impact.
Whiskies
The range spans from unaged white rums and a vodka to older, single-barrel reserves and a series of whiskies in various age categories. The core range carries the Gold Miner name with variants such as White Rum, Dark Rum, Agave Rum, Barrel Reserve, and a range of Wax whiskies (Black, Gold, Platinum). In the whisky lineup there is 100% wheat whiskey, corn whiskeys in both unaged and two-year editions, as well as an acidity- and flavor-focused Rum&Rye collaboration.
| Whisky | Type / Series | Alcohol | Age | Cask and Style | Tasting Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Miner White Rum | Rum | 40 % | Signature white rum with a full vanilla bouquet, slightly sweet and smooth; suitable for mixing and dessert use.; Nose: described as having a full bouquet of vanilla; Taste: lightly sweet and smooth, suitable for cocktails or on the rocks | Current; Core range | ||
| Gold Miner Dark Rum | Rum | 40 % | White American oak and French oak | Dark rum aged with both white American and French oak, highlighted for its simplicity and subtle flavor nuances.; Taste: simple and subtle in flavor profile | Current; Core range | |
| Gold Miner Agave Rum | Rum (agave-infused) | 35 % | Dark rum with delicate agave hints, marketed as an after-dinner sipping rum.; Taste: dark rum with delicate hints of agave for after-dinner sipping | Current; Core range | ||
| Gold Miner Barrel Reserve Rum | Rum (single barrel) | 40 % | Single barrel (wood type not specified) | First bottled in February 2012; characterized by sweetness and spice, with notes of licorice and oak-aged vanilla. Each bottle is numbered by the barrel.; Nose: aroma described as sweet and spicy; Taste: smooth and well-developed with hints of spice, licorice and oak-aged vanilla; Aftertaste: smoother, firm finish with a full body | Current; Core range | |
| Black Wax (2-, 3- & 4-year) | Bourbon/Whiskey style (series with different ages); Wax Series | 2, 3, 4 years | Series of shorter-aged whiskies in Black Wax edition, aimed at bourbon and whiskey fans. | Current; Core range | ||
| Gold Wax (5–9-year) | Whisky; Wax Series | 5–9 years | Mid-aged releases in the Wax series, characterized by increased natural sweetness from the wood with higher aging.; Taste: perceived as slightly sweeter due to natural sugars from the wood | Current; Core range | ||
| Platinum Wax (10-year) | Whisky (10 years); Wax Series | 10 years | 10-year edition in the Wax series; first release in 2021 and placed 9th in the world at IWSC the same year. Only a few bottles left as of June 2022. | Limited; Few bottles (as of June 2022) | ||
| Gold Miner Vodka | Vodka | 40 % | Vodka refined from the rum process to achieve a clean, very smooth taste; recognized by SIP Awards in 2011.; Taste: Very clean and smooth | Current; Core range | ||
| Gold Miner 7 Year Wheat Whiskey | 100% Wheat Whiskey | 45 % | 7 years | A 100% wheat whiskey, described as the oldest whiskey released in Arizona; won Gold at the LA Spirit Competition in 2019. | Current; Core range | |
| Gold Miner Corn Whiskey (White - off the still) | Corn Whiskey (unblended, 'white') | 45 % | White off-the-still corn whiskey, made to be enjoyed neat and popular in the tasting bar. | Current; Core range | ||
| Gold Miner 2 Year Corn Whiskey | Aged Corn Whiskey (100% corn) | 45 % | 2 years | Two-year corn whiskey produced from a special yellow non-GMO corn from the Four Corners region; first release in spring 2021. | Current; Core range | |
| Rum&Rye | Blend / collaboration project (rum + rye) | 50 % | Sherry butts (finish); finish: Aged/finished six months in sherry butts | Latest release and the first collaboration in Arizona between two renowned distilleries; combines rum produced and aged at Desert Diamond and rye under Elgin, with a six-month sherry finish. | Current |
The Whisky Styles and Flavor Profiles
From the product descriptions, three recurring directions emerge: vanilla/oak notes (repeated for White Rum and Barrel Reserve), spicy/licorice-like tones (especially in Barrel Reserve), and a clean, smooth profile (especially for the vodka). In addition, delicate agave notes are noted in Agave Rum. Together these elements paint a picture of both sweeter oak-forward tones and a polished, smooth on-the-bar drinking profile.
Visiting the Distillery
The distillery is open to visitors and has a retail shop with a historic tasting bar that originally originates from a French restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. Tastings are designed like wine tastings with small ¼-ounce portions and cover the rum, vodka and whiskey lines. Opening hours vary during the week; the site also offers events such as dinners, BBQs and barrel workshops.
The stated opening hours are Monday 10am - 5pm; Tuesday & Wednesday Closed; Thursday 10am - 5pm; Friday 10am - 6pm; Saturday 10am - 6pm; Sunday 10am - 5pm.
Philosophy and Craft
Desert Diamond emphasizes its family ownership and a desire to be open to the public with a focus on tastings and guest experiences. They honor historical elements by reusing a famous tasting bar and engage in collaborations with other distilleries to experiment with flavors and aging.
Awards and Recognitions
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Gold Medal (2012, Gold, Gold Miner Barrel Reserve Rum)
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Placing: 9th in the World (2021, 9th, Platinum Wax (10-year))
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Gold Medal (2019, Gold, Gold Miner 7 Year Wheat Whiskey)
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Silver Medal (2011, Silver, Gold Miner Agave Rum)
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Platinum Medal (2011, Platinum, Gold Miner Dark Rum)
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Silver Medal (2011, Silver, Gold Miner Vodka)
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Bronze Medal (2011, Bronze, Gold Miner White Rum)
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Bronze Medal (2010, Bronze, Gold Miner Dark Rum)