Colorado Whiskey
Batch #145
47% ABV (94 proof)
~$60 (sample provided)
Color: light brown, nectarine tint.
Smell: sweet cereal right off the bat. I'm thinking of French Toast Crunch. There's some alcohol heat, as well as a sawdust element. Also quite floral as it opens up with air. I'm not a huge garden expert, but there's a nice scented flower smell (roses?) that I get alongside the sweet grain topnote.
Taste: soft sweet grain upfront. The sawdusty hotness begins to come in on the midpalate and continues through the medium finish. The finish isn't all about oak, however. There's a really unique wine-like element that I get on the aftertaste, almost like green raisins or an Oloroso sherry.Overall: it's a distinct whiskey, and it's pretty good. I recommend tasting it. (note that due to its small-batch nature my understanding is that bottles can vary quite a bit). It's refreshing to taste a whiskey that is not easily or familiarly classifiable. Stranahan's uses a barley mashbill like scotch, but then ages its new make in charred oak like bourbon. It defies the traditional whiskey tasting experience as a result. My only real gripe is that it's a little harsh with the wood influence, especially considering the moderate proof point. They indicate on the label that it's aged for a minimum of 2 years, but I can't tell if there's already too much woodiness/char or if things would mellow out and gain complexity if they left it in longer. It would be interesting to taste their new make as well as a Stranahan's that is left in the barrel as an experiment for 4, 6, or more years to see what happens. Not to mention a Stranahan's that is aged in used bourbon barrels to tone down the oak influence and let the grain shine. As for value, $60 is not inexpensive, so in my mind this quickly becomes a uniqueness/micro-distillery play. I'd try it at a bar and then buy a bottle if it appeals to your palate and doesn't break your wallet.
