Desert Door Distillery — Local services in Dripping Springs

I want to share just how grateful I am for the incredible people we met during our impromptu birthday visit to this distillery in Texas. My friend and I decided to take this trip specifically because it’s the only distillery in the U.S. that crafts Sotol, and it was truly a fantastic experience from start to finish.

The drive itself set the scene, with beautiful hills and fields that made for a perfect Sunday morning. Once we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Hayley, our hostess, whose friendly recommendations got us off to a great start. She was patient, answered all our questions, and created such a welcoming atmosphere before our tour even began.

During the tour, we met the beautiful Kate, who was absolutely fantastic. We ended up having a private tour with her, which made it feel even more special. She was genuinely fun to be around and shared such valuable information about Sotol. She took photos for us, gave drink suggestions, and made the tour incredibly memorable. I think if I could’ve packed her up and taken her back to Atlanta with me, I would have.

And then we met Brent, one of the distillery’s owners. He’s so down-to-earth and full of incredible stories. We bonded over Atlanta, and he even took the time to join us for a drink and some laughs after the tour. His generosity and warmth made my birthday feel all the more special.

At the gift shop, we were greeted by the radiant Lexi, who brightened up our experience even more. And we also met Jo, who was so kind, stopped by to wish me a happy birthday, and made sure we felt taken care of.

The drinks themselves were exceptional—smooth, well-crafted, and creative. The bartenders were adventurous with their cocktails, and every one of them hit the mark. There was even a food truck with delicious burgers and sweet potato fries, which was the perfect pairing with our drinks. Sitting there with good food, great drinks, and fantastic company made the day perfect.

We had the pleasure of meeting Jamie, another host, who shared some good laughs and stories with us. And Sam, our bartender, made sure we were enjoying ourselves, stopping by to chat even as he crafted our drinks.

Every single person we encountered was friendly, kind, and took the time to make us feel welcome. This wasn’t just a visit to a distillery; it felt like we were among friends, and I’m so grateful to each of them for making my birthday celebration...

Let me tell you a about a little gem just a hair outside of downtown Austin - Desert Door Distillery. I first encountered this legendary drink from one of their corporate team members, Nicole who like all the other desert door distillery members seems to know literally everything there is to know about The Who, what, where, why and how desert door does sotol. Talk about people who are bought into the brand!! They practically live and breathe it!

It’s like nothing I’ve ever tasted. Being a Kentucky boy raised in the heart of bourbon country - finding different spirits that not only tell me a story but also have a rich taste is hard to find nowadays. No, Sotol is not a mezcal and no, Sotol is not tequila. It’s an entire league of its own.

My colleague/best friend and I came out this past weekend and were just star stricken by the amazing atmosphere, cheery employees and utmost blown away by the Sotol Spirit. (Did I also mention they have a food truck that beats any Michelin star restaurant [don’t @ me Gordon Ramsey])

We were greeted and welcomed in by Alyssa (The GM) who graciously through all the madness of the Sunday evening crowd gave us an incredible tour of the distillery, breaking down everything from the idea the owners had in college to now a 365 days a year harvesting and distilling company.

Alyssa not only let us in on everything Sotol but also honed in on Desert Doors mission on conservation. The fact they are able to make such an incredible spirit with little to no impact on the environment is worth tasting and supporting in itself. Cannot wait for this to be distributed in Kentucky.

You cannot go wrong with any of their selections people. Take it from a bourbon guy, this is next level for any drinking connoisseur. Try their, Oak Aged in both their OG and Explorer Edition pour. It will make your eyes go wide and will guarantee you walking out the door with a bottle or shots to go around for all your friends and family.

11/10 - will drink forever and always. Thank you, Desert Door, Nicole...

Desert Door is worth visiting.

It was one of those places that is almost too easy to recommend. The whole experience of drinks, food, location, and staff making for a memorable stop. I’d recommend it for anyone visiting the Austin area (or trying to figure out where to take guests) as a quirky “hidden gem” trip and most certainly if you’re planning on being in Driftwood anyways for something like Salt Lick BBQ (only 9 min away).

The story behind sotol as a spirit is interesting and is backed up by actually being worth trying, tasting (in their own words) “sweet citrusy and herbal flavors reminiscent of a desert gin crossed with a smooth sipping tequila.” I’m a huge fan of cocktails so I was doubly surprised by 1) getting to try something totally new in terms of spirits as well as 2) the cocktails which were really well made, to more proper craft ratios (aka well balanced, not too sweet, meant to taste interesting).

The building/space basically photographs itself; I feel like I could have fumbled my camera to the ground and still gotten Instagram worthy photos. The permanent attached food truck with much more elevated food than anticipated made it easy to sip and nom at the same time with little hassle. The staff at Desert Door was super engaging and helpful and made some great suggestions. The open seating and relaxed smaller atmosphere also made it easy for anyone worried about social distancing but wanting to get out of the house.

We happened to stop by on a trip down into the area just trying to fight cabin fever and end up with a great story and a bottle to go.

Visited: 2020 Sept 18 Instagram:...