If you’ve never experienced vodka made with 24-karat gold, Allentown’s Kilimanjaro Distillery is providing the opportunity.
Kishor Chokshi, founder and CEO of the distillery on Postal Road, uses only the finest ingredients to create his spirits—including 24-karat gold, which enhances taste. His vodka and gin are distilled in a custom-built stainless steel tank made with pure copper. What’s more, the vodka is distilled 12 times, resulting in a fuller body and extremely smooth taste unlike any other. To get an idea of the process, Kishor’s vodka begins around 10 proof and ends at 190 proof. After finalizing some aspects, it is served at 80 proof or 40 percent alcohol.
Chokshi runs Kilimanjaro Distillery with his daughter, Niky Chokshi, in a partnership they created based on their diverse skills.The Chokshis, originally from Tanzania, came to America in 2004, which explains their slogan: “African born. American made.” With Kishor’s scientific background in distilling with pharmaceuticals and Niky’s education and work in global studies, it felt natural for them to form Xplorer Spirits and Kilimanjaro Distillery.
The building they occupy in Allentown has 4,000 square feet of floor space, which allows Kishor to create his spirits in house. It took him about five years to finalize his creation, and he opened the distillery in September 2016.
Customers can buy a bottle of wheat vodka, gluten-free potato vodka or Apple Pie Moonshine when they visit Kilimanjaro Distillery. The vodkas are extremely smooth and clean with a full-bodied taste. The Apple Pie Moonshine is a treat all on its own.
“Go to the apple pie when you want to drink dessert instead of chew it!” Kishor recommends.
What’s more, if you pour yourself a glass of the moonshine over ice, the flavor changes as the ice melts, creating a sweet and smooth after-dinner drink.
After just three months of producing products, Xplorer Spirits won the silver medal for its wheat vodka and the bronze for its gluten-free potato vodka at the American Distilling Institute.
The Chokshi family’s exotic background gives their products an exciting, authentic and diverse base. For example, Tanzanian cinnamon is used in Xplorer Spirits Apple Pie Moonshine, and a type of African tea made with honey and spices that shows a peachy, golden color was used in cocktail that was featured at the distillery earlier this year.
“We wanted to take the spirit of adventure and infuse it in everything we do,” Niky said. “We have to understand the foundation of cultures. We are a big global village.”
Niky is the creator behind any featured cocktails and tries to make them as culturally inspired as possible, attempting to transport customers to different continents with ingredients.
“It’s all in the spirit of curiosity,” Niky said.
Most of their botanicals are from various continents, but Kishor enjoys making his spirits with local ingredients when possible. If they’re not from Pennsylvania, they’re from one of the 50 states, Kishor said. His potatoes come from the Pennsylvania area of Hamburg, his wheat from the Midwest and his apples from the Lancaster and York areas.
Customers can try these ingredients in one of the distillery’s house specials, such as a Peppermint Paddy Martini, made with Xplorer Wheat Vodka, Crème de Menthe and peppermint, or in a classic cocktail such as The Big Apple, made with Xplorer Apple Pie Moonshine, cranberry juice and ginger ale.
In the future, customers can expect rye bourbon and a single malt whiskey from Xplorer Spirits.
During Saturday tours, available for purchase on Groupon, guests can experience a personal touch from Kishor’s stories and learn about the distilling process by seeing exactly where the spirits are made. Guests can also take part in distillery events such as paint night, half-off specials and food trucks.
The Chokshis love to learn about their customers, share their stories and build community. They believe in experiencing each other’s cultures and uniting one another. This genuine understanding and acceptance of people is what distinguishes Kilimanjaro Distillery from the rest—along with its fantastic product, of course.
By the end of May, the father-daughter team plan to supply bottles of their products in about 10 Wine and Spirits stores throughout the Lehigh Valley. Consumers can also go to the distillery’s website and comment where they wish to have the spirits available to help the owners best serve those interested. Some local restaurants already carry the Chokshis’ creations, so make sure to ask!
If the exotic roots and authentic personalities of the team at Kilimanjaro Distillery aren’t enough, they also provide a percentage of their profits to different charities. Giving is deeply rooted in Kishor, as he used to deliver food to those in need with his father back in Tanzania. He continues this tradition today by contributing to the local Meals on Wheels.
In addition, profits of the distillery go to the Tanzanian Water Project. The funds raised allow local labor in Africa to dig deep, durable water wells. This allows for water to be easily supplied to villages.
Even though the Chokshis left their home of Tanzania and settled in the Lehigh Valley, their interest in diverse cultures allows them to create spirits that embody everything global. The result? A product as tasteful and genuine as its creators.
Find Kilimanjaro Distillery at 995 Postal Rd. in Allentown; phone: (484) 661-2488.
- Photos: Davin Jurgensen
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