For many years, Stranahan’s has been on the forefront of the Colorado whiskey scene. This Denver distillery is well known for its American single malt, and has also been a leader in the category which was finally recognized by the government after years of lobbying. The most recent release is also the oldest bottled-in-bond Colorado whiskey to date, an 11-year-old American single malt that is Stranahan’s first entry into the bonded whiskey category.
Stranahan’s was founded more than two decades ago in 2004, becoming the first legal distillery to call Colorado home since Prohibition. It released its first single malt just two years later, made from 100 percent malted barley and cut with water sourced from the Rocky Mountains. Justin Aden is currently the head blender who is responsible for the many different expressions in the portfolio, including the annual winter Snowflake release for which fans line up for days before the launch to secure a bottle.
As a reminder, the bottled in bond term can apply to any style of whiskey (as well as other barrel-aged spirits). It means that the whiskey is exactly 100 proof, aged for a minimum of four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and is the product of one distillery and one distillation season. In this case, the whiskey was distilled from January to June of 2015, and aged for a full 11 years in new American oak barrels. While there are other bottled-in-bond whiskeys from Colorado distilleries like Laws Whiskey House and Mile High Spirits available, this is the oldest bottled-in-bond whiskey from the Centennial State to date.
“Bottled-in-bond has always stood for transparency, integrity, and craftsmanship,” said Aden in a statement. “This release is as honest and hands-on as it gets—one grain, one distilling season, distilled, aged, and bottled entirely here in Denver. Our mile-high climate does something special to our whiskey over time, pulling out a refined character and depth you can’t replicate anywhere else. After 11 years of maturation, it’s a whiskey that’s unmistakably Stranahan’s, which means unmistakably Colorado, while honoring the traditions that set the standards for American whiskey.”
We did not get to sample the new whiskey yet, but the official tasting notes describe aromas of candied apples, baked orchard fruit, pipe tobacco, and oiled leather on the nose. That’s followed by caramel, cracked pepper, dark chocolate, molasses, and charred oak spice on the palate, culminating in a long finish with lingering oak, cocoa nib, and some earthy spearmint.
At the moment, Stranahan’s American Single Malt Whiskey: Bottled-in-Bond is a limited release (SRP $160) that became available at the distillery and retailers in Colorado, California, Texas, and Florida on August 1, which was also Colorado’s 150th birthday. But it will be available to purchase at the brand’s website later this year, so keep an eye out.
Authors
Jonah Flicker
