MASTER BLENDER

Colin Keegan
Whiskey Aficionado and Owner
Upon leaving his native country of England in 1990, Colin moved to the British Virgin Islands where he met his wife, Suzette. Two years later, Colin and Suzette decided to move to Santa Fe with their daughter Phoebe, where Colin continued his successful career as an architect and Suzette found endless inspiration for her paintings. The Keegans soon realized their dream of living in Tesuque, a traditional farming community just outside of Santa Fe, and built their home on a mature apple orchard with trees ranging from young saplings to massive centenarians. The orchard produces a great variety of heirloom apples, and every fall apple picking and juicing is an enjoyable and rewarding activity. However, the orchard is so productive that the abundance of apple cider is always an issue. Thankfully, a solution was literally fermenting the whole time, although Colin did not yet know where this solution would take him or how long it would be before it became a reality. Colin has always appreciated good Scotch and Brandy, so when the economy took a turn in 2009 he closed down his architectural business in order to concentrate on building a distillery where he could produce his own style of these traditional spirits. For Colin, the birth of Santa Fe Spirits in 2010 was the dream of a lifetime.

Stephen Julander
Head Distiller
Stephen Julander grew up in Corrales, New Mexico and graduated with a B.S. from the University of New Mexico in 2008. After meeting Jake Norris, Founder of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, in 2011, Stephen was brought on as the first distiller to Laws Whiskey House, Jake and Alan Laws’ new distillery. As the small distillery grew, Stephen moved to the lead distiller position, running production and all aspects of the distillery, helping modify and create Bourbon, Rye, Barley, Wheat, and Corn Whiskey. Looking to grow his knowledge base, Stephen departed LWH and in 2018, Stephen was brought on as the Head Distiller to begin the Brush Creek Distillery on the Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming. At this 30,000-acre luxury ranch, he was able to show his skills blending and distilling their signature Bourbon and Rye whiskeys, along with creating and distilling their Gin, Vodka, Agave Spirit and Run. When COVID-19 hit, he spearheaded a sanitizer program to provide free sanitizer to first responders and locals in this rural county.

In 2020, Stephen Julander became the Head Distiller on for a new distillery in the California’s Delta region. The Sabbatical Farm Distillery, built on Victoria Island Farm, featured spirits based on the products grown on the farm, using solely solar energy. Here he created the “Sabado Gin”, distilled whiskeys to match the currently sourced of the Bourbon and blended whiskeys, and helped create liqueurs.

With this contract fulfilled, Stephen Julander was drawn home to his native New Mexico to be closer to family. Distilling at Santa Fe Spirits is a homecoming that he has spent his entire professional career preparing for. “I am proud to be a part of a great distillery with wonderful spirits, I feel my accumulated skills will continue to bolster the established tradition we have here at Santa Fe spirits. I am honored to be a part of the family.”

Stephen spends his off time with his wife and many animals building their farm in Pecos, NM.

AWARDS 

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 TASTING NOTES

While peat-smoked malt has always been a key ingredient in many well known Scotch whiskies, Santa Fe Spirits’ Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey’s wonderfully complex flavor profile benefits from a very different type of smoked malt : mesquite. The result is a smooth, mellow, mysteriously balanced hint of smoky complexity unique to Santa Fe Spirits.

COCKTAIL

CAMPFIREIngredients
​2 oz Colkegan Whiskey
1/2 oz lime juice
1/2 oz maple syrup
Ginger Beer
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the Colkegan, lime juice and maple syrup.
Shake a strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with a good ginger beer.
Garnish with a lime wedge.

Scotch Lassie
Ingredients
2 oz Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey
1/2 oz lime juice
3 dashes of barrel-aged bitters
3/4 oz ginger and soda (or substitute a quality ginger beer)
Instructions
In Collin’s glass add all ingredients
Top with 3/4 oz ginger and soda (or substitute a quality ginger beer)
Garnish w/ lime.

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