Glencoe Distillery and a Bee’s Knees Cocktail

As I mentioned in my post about our trip to Lincoln County, New Mexico, one of our stops was at the Glencoe Distillery in Glencoe, New Mexico. Initially, we thought we would drop in, have a couple tastes, maybe a cocktail and then move on. However, that didn’t happen. Because of the hospitality we received when we first walked through the door and thereafter, we ended up spending an afternoon hanging out with some very fun and interesting people, talking about booze, cocktails, and the evolution of a successful distillery by four very creative entrepreneurs. And that was just the beginning.

Glencoe Distillery represents the “The Spirits of the West embodied in the Mountains by smoke, outlaws, horses and grit” as well as the talent, creativity, and energy of its owners – Glen and Sherry Barrow and Will and Rebecca Ponder. A few years ago, these two couples, four friends, put their heads together and came up with a way to bottle what they love about south central New Mexico. Both couples were already highly successful business people, so they developed the Glencoe Distillery and two tasting rooms as an extension of these businesses and as a way to further capture the enchantment of New Mexico. (Update: Due to the COVID pandemic, this distillery is now permanently closed.)

Glen and Sherry Barrow are the owners of Woodswan, where they design and build sustainable furnishings “derived from rescued fallen trees, tree stumps, and reclaimed wood”. Each piece is handmade, and any naturally occurring flaws or cracks are given special attention “making each and every creation genuinely unique”.

Woodswan is next door to and just a few steps from the distillery, so when we were offered a tour, how could we resist. The furniture and pieces that we saw were amazing. We couldn’t help but touch each surface just to feel the texture and warmth of the wood. The other thing we couldn’t help doing was bringing a piece home. After going through the showroom and one of the workshops, we purchased a gorgeous chef’s board made from pecan wood. I used the piece in the product pictures below. Woodswan is internationally known, and once you see the furnishing, you’ll know why. Be sure to visit the Woodswan website.

Will and Rebecca Ponder are the owners of Sacred Grounds Coffee and Tea House, a booming business in midtown Ruidoso, New Mexico, south of Glencoe. This very popular cafe’ is “nestled in the cool pines of the Sacramento Mountains at 7,000 ft” and houses another tasting room for the distillery’s spirits. A couple of customers we met during our afternoon at the distillery raved about Sacred Grounds, saying it was the best place in Ruidoso to eat. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Ruidoso, but next time…

Please be sure to click on the links provided to learn more about each of these businesses.

Now for a very short tour of the distillery, a cocktail and review of a couple of its products. Since this is a relative new distillery, its whiskey products were still aging and not available at the time for tasting or sale; however, that didn’t stop us from trying some of the other spirits.

Glencoe Distillery

In the Glencoe tasting room one can taste select spirits made on location, as well as purchase shots and designer cocktails, all while enjoying a delightful conversation with members of the Glencoe family. When we were there, the tasting room had only been open for six weeks but felt like it had been around a lot longer than that.

While enjoying drink and conversation, one can look into the distillery where a selection of unique spirits are made. It’s a relatively small distillery, but from what we tasted, it produces some very bold and satisfying flavors.

Some of the products distilled include a gin, a couple of blue agave spirits (aquilas), vodkas, and a coffee liquor. A single malt whiskey and more will be available soon. Below is a review for two Glencoe products as well as the Bee’s Knees cocktail which, when using Glencoe’s gin, is one of my favorites.

Bee’s Knees Cocktail

Print or Save Recipe

Bee’s Knees Cocktail

Prep

5 mins

Cook

5 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

A refreshing cocktail made with a good quality gin, lemon juice and a touch of honey.  This is the recipe for the Bee’s Knees served at the Glencoe Distillery. 

*See the Kitchen Notes for a couple adjustments I made for my particular tastes.

Course: Beverage

Keyword: cocktail

Yields: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Gin
• 3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice*
• 1/2 ounce honey syrup*
• twist of lemon (garnish)
• dash orange bitters* (optional)

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.*

1. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
   

2. Garnish with a lemon twist.
   

Kitchen Notes

Lemon Juice – When I make this cocktail using the Glencoe gin, I reduce the lemon juice to just a squeeze of lemon wedge.  I found that too much lemon juice masked the unique flavor of this gin. (See my review below.)

 

Honey Syrup – Heat equal parts water and honey until the honey has melted.

 

MJ’s method for making a Bee’s Knees – Since I don’t drink a lot, I don’t make the honey syrup, nor do I have a shaker. Therefore, I dissolve 1/2 tsp. honey in the 2 oz. gin, then I add the lemon juice, a couple of drops of orange bitters, and pour over a large ice cube.

 

Orange bitters – The idea of adding the orange bitters came from Kitchen Riffs’ Bee’s Knees cocktail.  When I make this cocktail with other gins, I add a dash of bitters.  But when I use the Glencoe gin, I add just a couple of drops which complement the juniper.

 

 

GinWillis Gin

Glencoe’s GinWillis Gin is different from other gins I’ve had over the years, different in a good way. When it hits the tongue, it’s silky and smooth with a definitive flavor of juniper berries. The juniper flavor is more prominent than with most gins, and is mellow and pleasing to the palate. It’s what makes this gin unique, in my opinion. In fact, it’s the only gin I’ve tasted that I enjoy pouring over ice and just sipping.

GlenWillis Smoked Aquila

Looking for something totally different? Well, this is it. We’re not big tequila drinkers, but one sip was all we needed to fall in love with Glencoe’s GlenWillis Smoked Aquila. What a fabulous nose – smoky with a bit of sweetness. The smokiness is really the dominant flavor but not overpowering. It greatly complements the blue agave flavor and takes the edge off what one finds in many tequilas. This is definitely a sipping tequila but only if it’s really cold. It’s best served either pre-chilled in the freezer and served “neat”, or poured over a large cube of ice.

The next time you visit south central New Mexico, be sure to add all three of these small businesses to your “must see” list. You’ll be glad you did.

There aren’t many cocktails on my website, but if you’d like to explore what I do have, check these out:

REMINDER: Green chile season starts in August so if you want fresh New Mexico green chile shipped directly to your front door, you can pre-order late-spring to early summer. Suppliers like our friends at The Hatch Chile Store usually start taking orders early summer. Click Sources of New Mexico Chile for a variety of options and products.