6 Woman-Run Agave Spirits Distilleries West of the Mississi

Courtney Peres is the Head Distiller at Bozeman Spirits.

Tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits evoke a feeling of rebellion in many ways. It makes sense that this ingredient is inspiring distillers who want to break free from the traditional mold across borders.

Traditionally agave spirits come from Mexico. In fact, tequila and mezcal, the most well-known agave spirits, can only come from south of the border. But innovative distillers everywhere are experimenting with the ingredient and many woman-owned or woman-led distilleries west of the Mississippi are leading the charge.

Growers of agave planted seeds outside of Mexico in recent years and the plant can now be sourced from places like California. It makes sense that distillers in the West would take advantage of the ingredient given its close proximity.

Desert Diamond Distillery

For more than 13 years, Deborah Patt and her husband John have run Desert Diamond Distillery from Kingman, Arizona. Together, they ferment, distill, bottle and bottle a wide variety of spirits on-site. Deborah draws from her experience as an engineer and as a stay home mom to operate the distillery effectively and lead product development as well.

The spirits produced at Desert Diamond win awards! Platinum-award-winning Gold Miner Dark Rum carries a bold flavor and when the distillery adds agave, it becomes a crowd favorite: Gold Miner Agave Rum.

Visit Desert Diamond Distillery Sunday, Monday and Wednesday from 10am to 5pm or Friday and Saturday from 10am to 6pm.

4875 N. Olympic Drive, Kingman, Arizona 86401

Bozeman Spirits

Co-founded by Mary Pat Harris and her husband Jim, Bozeman Spirits opened its doors in 2014 to serve fellow Montanans a wide variety of fine spirits. Mary Pat, or MP as she’s known by the team, leads sales and marketing for the brand but also supports local agriculture and tourism to build up the town she calls home.

Producing everything from vodka and bourbon to gin and barrel-aged rum, Bozeman Spirits has quite the portfolio to choose from. The unique Arrestado Agave Spirit incorporates organic agave sourced from the Jalisco region of Mexico. It’s a delicious spirit on its own but also makes an impressive margarita.

Taste the whole lineup for yourself when you visit the tasting room Monday through Saturday, 10am to 8pm and 12pm to 8pm on Sundays.

121 West Main Street, Bozeman, Montana 59715

Coastal Bend Distilling

Kenneth Bethune opened a distillery in Beeville, Texas in 2019 – because it sounded fun. He chose the town because it was understated and he found the perfect person to lead the marketing efforts: Lindsay Horton. The Director of Marketing also rolls up her sleeves from time to time to help with bottling and other production tasks.

Produced alongside Coastal Bend’s gin, vodka and whiskey, La Lechuza Agave Spirit features agave acquired just 180 miles south of the distillery in the Rio Grande Valley. Many enjoy it chilled or on ice but it makes a nice cocktail as well.

Give it a try for yourself when you visit Coastal Bend Distillery. The tasting room has limited hours so check the website for times.

201 North Madison Avenue, Beeville, Texas 78102

New World Distillery

English teacher Ashley Cross founded New World Distillery in partnership with Chris Cross, a former Navy Pilot. Leading branding and marketing for the distillery, Ashley uses her background in literature to tell a story about the company – and about each of the spirits.

With a dedication to excellence, New World produces a wide range of spirits, including vodka, gin, bourbon and brandy, in the mountains of Eden, Utah. But the distillery proudly produces the only locally made agave spirits in the whole state. Both Rabbit and Grass Reposado and Blanco are made with 100% Blue Weber Agave.

Discover this unique beverage when you visit New World Distillery Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 5pm and Sunday, 12pm to 5pm.

4795 East 2600 N, Eden, Utah 84310

Divine Distillers

Based in Salem, Oregon, Divine Distillers is the brainchild of Jennell Ives and Jason Greenwood. The two were inspired by places they’d lived, including Latin America and Europe. And they created the distillery as an homage to their children.

The Oregon distillery crafts rum, brandy and whiskey. However, Agave Spirit is also on the menu. A truly Oregon-style tequila, the beverage uses 100% heirloom agave and it earned the title of “smoothest” at the San Antonio Tequila contest.

Get a taste of the Agave Spirit and the rest of the spirits when you visit the distillery on Friday or Saturday between 4pm and 8pm.

915 North Main Street, Independence, Oregon

Wild Hare Distillery

It started as a way to help a friend tick off an item on their bucket list but eventually Wendy Tilton turned it into a full-fledged distillery in Tempe, Arizona with her husband. Her experience working in a lab and as a real estate professional give her a unique set of talents that translate into high-quality spirits.

From day one, the focus for Wild Hare has been agave spirits. Both of the agave spirits on the bill are created using high-quality agave nectar from Mexico.

Try them for yourself when you go to the distillery. Visitors must book a tour ahead of time so visit the website for all the details.

5869 South Kyrene Road #18, Tempe, Arizona 85283