Meet Meagan Miller | Co-Founder & Vice President of Talnua Distillery

We had the good fortune of connecting with Meagan Miller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Meagan, what do you attribute your success to?
We have an amazing team at Talnua and cannot talk about our success without giving all of the credit to them. Our founders comprise of a regulatory specialist, a chemist, a general contractor/commercial real estate investor, and a digital design artist. Our team is comprised of individuals with profound experience in each of their fields. While we all wear many hats, we work cohesively together to make, market, and sell our products.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are proud at Talnua to be the first fully dedicated distillery outside of Ireland to making all Single Pot Still Whiskeys. Our one year anniversary was the day that the state of Colorado mandated the shut down because of the pandemic, so we have had to be super flexible in our lifetime. Besides the challenges that came with the ever changing environment from the pandemic, we have had to make adaptations in all aspects of our business, from production volumes and growth with new, larger equipment, to expanding our tasting room capabilities and expanding our distribution.

Origin Story:
In a Galway pub on their honeymoon, Patrick and Meagan Miller sat watching the 2011 Ireland vs. USA Rugby World Cup Match. An eager bartender was thrilled to share with them the first Single Pot Still Whiskey to be released in decades. He regaled them with the history of this nearly extinct style of whiskey and with the passion that one day, Single Pot Still would regain its rightful place on the world stage. The love affair was instant, and the couples’ passion was forever ingrained in the story of Single Pot Still Whiskey. With family history rooted in Irish ancestry, the couple returned to Ireland every year and knew that single pot still whiskey would forever be a part of their story. Knowing that Single Pot Still Whiskey was not yet available in the US they set out to create the first Single Pot Still distillery outside of Ireland. They wanted to bring this style of whiskey to America and imbue it with the nation’s terroir while honoring Gaelic distilling traditions, the immigrant soul, and the pioneering spirit of the American people.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh man! There’s so much to choose from!

When I travel, or when friends come visit Denver, I like to experience a destination through their crafts (read: drinks).

That said, our normal haunts to take our friends are Family Jones Distillery, Bear Creek Distillery, Laws Whiskey House, Ballmer Peak, and Ironton Distillery. For breweries, we visit Odyssey Beerwerks, Over Yonder Brewing Company, Mockery Brewing and New Image Brewing. For restaurants, we typically always take our guests to Clancy’s Irish Pub, Teller’s Taproom, or Briar Common. We have friends everywhere and it’s wonderful to be in an industry where everyone treats you like family when you visit or bring friends and family.

If we’re not drinking our way around the Denver area, we’re visiting Meow Wolf, Red Rocks Amphitheater, and the Museum of Science and Nature.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, it’s our team we’ve made here at Talnua. Our colleagues in the industry – craft distilleries in Colorado – have also given us so much love, support, and guidance as a young company. We are forever grateful to all of them for welcoming us into the industry. As for a book recommendation, I am a huge fan of Business for Punks by James Watt. It gave me the confidence I needed as a young entrepreneur.

Website: www.talnua.com

Instagram: @talnuadistillery

Twitter: @talnuadistilled

Facebook: @talnuadistillery

Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/talnua-distillery-arvada-2

Image Credits
Joni Schrantz