SFR Picks—Week of Dec. 8

On a Malt Line

Santa Fe Spirits (re)opens up the floor for making your own whiskey blend

Whiskey: the spirit most of us know well because the open bar at our college friend’s wedding was all about whiskey sours. Many of us can become so overwhelmed by the infinite whiskey varieties out there that we rush by it in the grocery store despite our curiosities. With those prices, who wants to choose wrong?

Thankfully, Santa Fe Spirits has your back and will hold your hand through the confusion that is whiskey flavor profiles. It’s just a matter of a few sips.

Founded in 2010 by Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits’ crew loves their craft so much they’re willing to give you free recipes, plus specifics on the distillation processes of Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey, a 6-row malt smoked with Mesquite and the flagship product at the heart of the brand’s new(ish) whiskey blending courses.

“[The Colkegan] is like the Southwest in a bottle,” sales director Leif West tells SFR. “This is one of our passions, near and dear to our hearts. We really wanted to share that with people.”

You might be wondering: Isn’t whiskey just whiskey? Not so, beautiful reader. Not so.

“You get various tones based on the barrels,” West explains. “Choosing a whiskey distilled in a New American Oak barrel adds a toasted woodiness, for example. Other options give you smokier tones, or even sweeter tones. The class allows people to really see what they like.”

During said class, you’ll be led through a tasting of the Colkegan before you set about creating your own personal blend. That’s right—you may very well end up with a whiskey that is yours and yours alone, and you’ll at least have a better frame of reference for your next trip to the liquor store.

The class runs $125—a pretty good deal considering it comes with a whiskey tasting flight and a 750ml bottle of your own special blend. Plus, in addition to a personal tour of the distillery, there’s a discount on anything in the onsite store that day. Learn the whiskey profiles you love (or despise), compare with spirits enthusiasts or fellow novices and you also take home a custom label for your custom blend. You better get that framed. (Riley Gardner)

Whiskey Blending Experience: 5:30-8:30 pm, Saturday, Dec 11. $125. Santa Fe Spirits Distillery and Tasting Room, 7505 Mallard Way Ste. 1. (505) 467-8892, bit.ly/3orUzfQ

Clay is Bae

You know that feeling when you go to your friend’s house (that friend who’s got their stuff together), and in addition to your inadequate feelings you discover they’ve got all these hand-crafted pottery bowls charming up their cabinets? It’s one of the most universal and horrible feelings, and we’ve all been there, but Baca Street Pottery is ready to help us heal. At the upcoming holiday sale, local artisans bring their own spins to the old clay form. Not looking for kitchenware this season? No matter. Find sculptural clay works to make your home a bit artistique, as the French may or may not say. Deep down, we all want our friends to open our cabinets and feel the pang of unadulterated jealousy, and for us to reply something like, “Oh, Baca Street’s Holiday Sale. Sorry you missed it.” (RG)

Baca Street Holiday Sale: 10 am-5 pm Saturday, Dec. 11. Free. Baca Street Pottery, 730 Baca St., bacastreetpottery.com

String You Along

With news of supply line delays and product shortages putting a damper on the upcoming gift-giving onslaught, Santa Feans of every stripe would do well to remember how easy it can be to keep it local. And when it comes to Christmas gifting, look no further than the 6th Annual String of Lights holiday market event. This year’s gathering of local artists, makers and vendors takes over the cavernous Tumbleroot space with more than 35 booths, food trucks, drink specials and an appearance from freaking Santa Claus. Good for kids, good for adults, good for the locals who make stuff you’ll care about much longer than some dumb shit from Best Buy or wherever. (Alex De Vore)

6th Annual String of Lights: 1-6 pm, Sunday, Dec. 12 Free, but pay for items. Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery 2791 Agua Fría St., (505) 393-5135

Hispano’s Hometown

Santa Fe is a town where people love all things old, and occasionally even some of the people (jk, senior citizens, we love you). Imagine the bliss the history nerds will feel when in the centuries-old walls, listening to the history of the state’s music—it’s transformative stuff for us nerds. History haters can find solace in what certainly will be fantastic tunes, with state historian Rob Martinez guiding an audience through melodies developed by travelers, Native peoples and Hispanic populations, and how they blended. Music is a way of expressing strife, virtue and more from people long dead. Plus, how many other state historians will pull out a guitar and play you through the state’s musical history? (RG)

Alabados, Alabanzas, Inditas and Corridos: The Enduring Hispanic Music of New Mexico: 5:30 pm, Monday, Dec. 13. $10. San Miguel Chapel, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail. (505) 983-2567