NOCO Distillery & Speakeasy — Local services in Fort Collins

My boyfriend and I stopped in here earlier this week on a whim, and oh my god... We were heading home from a two week vacation -- our very first since we got together six years ago. The only reason we found the place was because I chickened out on the way to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison due to a severe fear of heights that I was unaware of until we were 10,000 feet in the air zooming around all those mountain ledges.

In a feeble attempt to cushion my boyfriend's disappoint at having to abort the most anticipated part of our journey, I asked him to find anywhere cool he wanted to visit on the way home to Illinois. He found NOCO based on a few google reviews suggesting it was a pretty cool place. Knowing it could never make up for what he missed out on, I promised we'd go and have a nice time.

For starters, we were so thrown off when our GPS guided us to a random little garage off the highway. It seemed like a mistake. After spotting the NOCO sign, we tentatively approached the entrance and decided to go in just to see what was going on.

Nothing could've prepared us for the atmosphere we walked into. A tiny room with warm golden lighting and a bar, behind which was Mo! The tiny room was calm but vibrant and very cool. It felt like a secret that it existed at all. Mo welcomed us in and fed our curiosity with the amazing story of how their little distillery came to be. In the meantime, she made my boyfriend an Old fashioned (with all of their homemade ingredients) and put in an order for a goat cheese and arugula pizza with smoked salmon. Both were 10/10. Between the first cocktail, the food, and the conversation, my boyfriend was just glowing with delight.

3 cocktails and many samples later, having met some really fun regulars (shoutout to John and Donna! So glad to have met you!), and enjoying the kinship of appreciating thoughtfully made drinks, my boyfriend told me this more than made up for the grand adventure we'd missed out on the day before. He'd never hold it over my head, but the fact that this place so effortlessly brought our spirits up (beyond a metaphorical 10,000 feet even) is quite a testament to what they've got going if you ask me.

This wasn't just a treat for my boyfriend. I'd been missing home, being connected to others, enjoying my passions. I didn't realize how much I needed to be somewhere as distinctly welcoming as NOCO. The establishment is so small, and yet brimming with people who are inspired, passionate, and excited to share their space and what they create with everyone who finds them. Everything we experienced there reflected that heart, and we are so grateful for it!

Luckily, they sell just about everything they make, so we came home with plenty of (liquid) souvenirs! In short, you have to go. Check out the back room, check out the distillery, and enjoy the people making all of that magic happen, from a garage of all places. Thank you again Mo, Sebastian, John, and Donna (p.s. - it's never too late to pursue your dream of becoming a forklift operator, Donna! We believe in you. And Mo, you would make an incredible sommelier at any level! You have a magnificent intuition and are so knowledgeable about the things that interest you. You really made the whole experience for us. Jonathan is still kicking himself for not taking more of your recommendations lol). We do hope to make it back someday. Regardless, the memory of our visit will be cherished forever. Best wishes for your bright future, NOCO!

Raegan...

I was on a golf trip in Denver with 4 buddies from MN. We drove up to Fort Collins to visit a few breweries & distilleries. Noco was highly rated, so we gave it a try. We opened the entry door and we're a bit skeptical at what appeared to be a very small tasting room. There was a slightly larger and very quaint tasting room beyond the small entry area. We enjoyed an Old Fashioned with Noco's house bourbon. It was excellent.

Then we started a conversation with Sebastian, one of the owners, and the experience rose to an entirely different level. Sebastian told us about the history of the distillery & their distribution model. He also told us about the fire that destroyed the facility in ~2019/20... a fire that Sebastian and his son miraculously survived. It's an incredible story.

Then Sebastian took us back to the distilling area and described their distilling process in wonderful detail. We've all been to several distilleries, and we all agreed this topped the list.

We then had a tasting of several of their alcohols. All were excellent.

The whole experience could not have been better. This experience was a trip highlight for all of us. It is more than worth the 1 hour drive from Denver. I would highly encourage you NOT to miss...

Wow wow wow wow wow! That’s 5 wows and it is intentional. Absolute gem of a discovery and I am a little embarrassed it took me so long to visit this incredible treasure of warmth, QUALITY, and elevated hospitality, within the real heart of Fort Collins. The fact that it’s a trot off the beaten path, near Link Lane and Rollerland, only adds to the charm and speakeasy vibe… I am so excited to bring more friends and colleagues over to NoCo Distillery for meetings, long overdue catch-ups and I’m super keen to see about organizing some workshops here, for clients!!! The interior is beautifully done and all the staff are so knowledgeable but also inviting of questions and learning ( shoutouts to Josh and Fatima for that!) This is a lot of accolade without touching on the liquid yet, but that’s because it is the ultimate sherry casked cherry on top… I really cannot get over how gorgeous and balanced the nose on every varietal and type of spirit was, no matter the proof. This is quite a feat and I know it can be attributed to the love, care and dedication which goes into their special distillation process. Well done NoCo Distillery… I will be thrilled to return soon. And the hot sauces are not to...