Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey Stranahan's Original NV 750ml

This 100% malted barley spent two years in new charred oak and boasts an amber color, sweet caramel scent with a touch of coconut and juicy apple, and relatively dry flavors. What sets this whiskey apart is the remarkable deep cocoa and pronounced coffee finish and velvety, creamy mouthfeel, reminiscent of ice cream and root beer foam. An alcohol sting cuts through, but should temper over ice nicely.

Artisan Whiskey of the Year (Operating 10 years or less): Stranahan’s whiskey is sort of a hybrid. Being an all-malt product, it does resemble a single-malt scotch in many ways, with unique flair and a hint of bourbon character. It shows nice maturity, considering it contains whiskey as young as two years old, but not older than five. It’s smooth, too, with layered sweetness (honeyed caramel, English toffee, maple syrup) tangerine, roasted nuts and peppered with spice (warming cinnamon, glazed ginger). A good grip of tobacco and polished leather on the finish balances the sweetness that comes earlier. This is an example of the right way to do artisan distilling.

A full-bodied whiskey that illustrates the impact of terroir on a finished whiskey. Crafted in the stillness of the Rockies, Stranahan’s is a small batch spirit pot distilled using local barley and mountain spring water. The whiskey is aged a minimum of two years in American white oak barrels before being bottled at 94 proof.

At 94 proof, you expect it to be hot. It does give heat, but that quickly dissipates into smooth and rich leather, caramel and vanilla with notes of orange peel and a slight hint of pear. The long, smooth finish is really quite enjoyable, with hints of oak and cigar box.