Entry No. 38 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: distillery
Montanya Distillers
Rum and mountains don't usually share a sentence, but Montanya has been proving that wrong since it landed in Crested Butte in 2011. The tasting room sits on Elk Avenue at 8,900 feet — the highest-elevation rum distillery in the country — where snowmelt water and wild temperature swings do things to a barrel that no Caribbean producer can replicate. Their Platino is clear and funky enough to rival a fine blanco tequila; the Valentia, aged four years and finished in rye casks, comes out with a spicy whiskey edge that makes you rethink what rum can be. The copper pot still and fermentation tanks live a short drive away at a separate warehouse facility, and distillery tours can be arranged by appointment.
The move: Come after 3pm on a weekday when the après-ski crowd hasn't descended. Share a rum flight across the expressions — Platino to Valentia — and let the contrast do the talking. The bar staff know the production story cold and will make it feel like a lesson you actually want.
📍 Before you go Tasting room is open daily 3–9pm; no reservation needed for walk-in bar seating, but the separate warehouse distillery at 398 Riverland Dr (10 minutes out of town) is by appointment only — call (970) 799-3206 ext. 5 to book a tour. Crested Butte is 3-plus hours from Grand Junction via US-50 and CO-135; shoulder-season windows in April–May and October–November can bring road closures. Confirm current hours before making the drive, as the tasting room has historically adjusted for off-season.
- 📍 Crested Butte
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 204 Elk Ave, Crested Butte, CO 81224
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4
last checked: 2026-06-11