Don Quixote offers limited quantity high quality spirits made in New Mexico
    for those discerning consumers who seek out premium products and who
    enjoy adventure, excitement, and romance.
    Plan to visit our Distillery and
    showroom on your next trip to
    Northern New Mexico.

    Tours and tastings available
    Tuesday - Sunday noon till 6:00 PM
    or by appointment.  
    Call 505-695-0817 or email us.

    Locate us using our Map, Google
    Map, or your GPS.
Don Quixote Distillery
Old World Charm In Every Bottle
Learn More About Don Quixote Spirits
VODKAS
 GINS
 BRANDYS
What Makes Our Products Uniquely Special
    From our high altitude location, to the glacial aquifer that supplies our water, to
    the way we distill and age, our artisan craftsmanship, attention to detail, and
    use of high quality fruits and grains make Don Quixote products a rare treat for
    those who appreciate the charm, character and quality found only in things
    hand made in the traditions of old world master distillers and vintners.  
    High Altitude Distilling:  At sea level
    water boils at 212 deg F and alcohol boils at
    193 F.  Don Quixote Distillery is located in
    New Mexico’s magical Jemez Mountains at
    7000’ where alcohol boils at 180 F.  Since our
    spirits cook off at a lower temperature, we
    eliminate the "burnt" smell and taste found in
    most spirits.  We also distill in an ambient
    pressure environment which allows lighter
    vapors to slowly rise in the still.  The
    combination of altitude and pressure results
    in soft smooth spirits possessing a subtle
    hint of sweetness.
    Small Batch Fermenting:  We
    ferment our grapes and grains in small
    batches allowing us to tailor each
    process for maximum flavor and
    individual character.  

    Small Batch Distilling: We distill in
    carefully regulated temperature and
    pressure environments in tune with the
    individual uniqueness of each process
    run.  Our goal is maximize taste, texture
    and aroma while minimizing unwanted
    properties such as essential oils.
    Radiant Heating:  We heat our stills using radiant heat.  This creates slow even heat distribution.  Our
    steam coil method allows accurate control of still temperatures, first to cook of unpleasant methanol, and
    second to carry the desired ethanol away on light flavor molecules thereby yielding smoother spirits of
    lighter alcohol.
    Convection Heating:  We create the
    convention heating environment used by French
    Cognac producers by operating our Alembic stills
    within a reflective oven.  This ensures even heat
    distribute with negligible gradient.  
    Slow Chilling:  Research has shown that
    a slow even chilling process creates more
    flavorful spirits with a softer texture  We use
    ambient water to softly return hot spirit
    vapors back to their liquid state.
    French Oak Barrels:  
    We barrel age our wines
    and brandies in French Oak.
    Green Manufacturing: Our goal is to be as earth friendly as possible.  We could do things easier,
    faster, and cheaper using other methods or products but we feel obligated to hold ourselves to the
    same unyielding high standards as we hold our products.  

    We malt our grains to grow enzymes for starch conversion.  We use organic grains when possible and
    clean our equipment with citric acid solutions to both keep industrial chemicals away from product and
    to minimize our use of hazardous chemicals.

    We never modify our spirits after distillation with coloring, flavoring, or texturizing.  We are committed to
    providing you with what God and nature provided us.

    We cool our spirits with naturally chilled water and preheat our wines prior to distilling using a passive
    solar system.  And heat our facilities using recaptured heat from just distilled wash.

    Whether making grappa from pomace, bedding our fields with compost, or feeding deer, elk and area
    livestock with our post-fermented grains, we strive to derive maximal utility from the gifts nature has
    provided.  
Vodka Still Smuggled
out of Ukraine
    Fate is a funny thing:  As a Ph.D. Engineer at the world's most prestigious
    research laboratory Ron has for years been experimenting in his free time with various wine
    fermentation and spirits distillation techniques.  He built his first still at 19 when he was a
    freshman in college.  His solar powered corn based ethonol/methonol fuel design was a
    generation ahead of what is currently in vogue.  Unfortunately, Ron was unable to convince
    campus security that his dorm still was "purely for research."  As his confiscated still was
    hauled away a security guard commented, "you can buy your booze like the rest of us."   

    In 1999 while on a trip to the Ukraine, he met his future wife Olha, the most beautiful and
    wonderful woman he's ever known.  They fell in love instantly and decided t get married a
    short time later.  It was only after they were married that Ron discovered Olha shared his
    passion for wine and spirits creation.  

    Olha grew up in a family of distillers learning from her Grandfather and father the Eastern
    European secrets to fine vodka and brandy production.  After the fall of the Soviet Union
    Olha's father Viktor, who was a merchant ship Captain used his special vodka to entice
    sailors to join his voyages.

    Ron's technical curiosity merged, with Olha's inherited
    knowledge and passion for spirits production, formed
    the backbone of what became Don Quixote Distillery.  
    They smuggled their first still out of Ukraine and their
    first brandies were made from wines Ron had made
    over the years while experimenting.  With the
    exception of almost starting their home on fire during
    their first spirits run their humble beginnings laid the
    ground work for the full up distillery they have today.

    Ron designs, fabricates, and builds all the stills used
    at Don Quixote.  The first still designed and built by
    Ron was a five gallon copper alembic pot still
    engineered to maximize the advantages of distilling at
    7500 feet above sea level.  In the ensuing years  
    Ron's quest for perfection has led him to continually
    experiment and design newer improved stills.  He is
    currently on his seventh design generation and
    believes his has finally optimized his design to blend
    production efficiency with smooth spirit taste and
    delicate aroma.  The trademark characteristics of all
    Don Quixote stills are their gentle even heating that
    renders soft, slightly sweet spirits with pleasantly
    balanced aromas.
Our First Two Stills Stills
This is our first brandy production line
configured in a hybrid combination of
a classic Cognac and Moonshiner's
processing line.