Stranahan's
Colorado Whiskey
47% ABV | $60/750ml
Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey
Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey was born from disaster. The whiskey brand's founding members met while attempting to put out a barn fire, but once the flames quelled, they discovered their mutual love for a fine, strong liquor. Shortly after, a distillery was opened and the rest, as they say, is history.
The distillery is, in fact, historic. It's Colorado's first distillery since Keller's opened in the 1800s. It was originally an offshoot of Flying Dog Beer, but Proximo bought the Stranahan brand in 2011.
Through they're now part of the Proximo family, Stranahan's is still made in ultra-small batches. So small, they bottle two to six barrels every three weeks or so. The whiskey itself is made with Rocky Mountain barley and Rocky Mountain water, aged in new American oak barrels for two to five years.
The result is a super smooth whiskey with lots of flavor. It appears as a copper-penny red color in the bottle, but pours a beautiful amber-gold with crimson highlights. The nose is sweet like toffee and dark fruits, with hints of barley, leather, and citrus. Its taste varies a little from its scent, however, and drinkers will notice strong Spanish cedar, sweet coffee, and even a little papaya. The finish is long, smooth, and very, very dry.
Stranahan's can easily be enjoyed on the rocks, but it can be considered for Manhattans and other classic whiskey and bourbon cocktails; just keep in mind it's a bit drier than other whiskeys.
