Stranahan’s
Colorado Single Malt Whiskey
Fun Fact: Stranahan’s is the first legal distillery in Colorado since Prohibition.
History
The story of Stranahan’s begins with Jess Graber and George Stranahan. Jess Graber grew up in the Midwest and moved to Colorado in 1972. He was a volunteer firefighter, whiskey enthusiast, and experimental distiller, using a small still he’d inherited from a friend. In 1998, while working as a volunteer firefighter, Jess responded to a neighbor’s barn fire down the road. The barn belonged to Woody Creek local, George Stranahan, a fellow whiskey connoisseur, and the founder and owner of Flying Dog Brewery. During the incident, the two discovered a shared passion for the Colorado outdoors and fine whiskey. The two eventually launched a business together, creating Colorado’s first micro distillery, and the state’s first legal distillery since prohibition. Founded in 2004, the first batch of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey was bottled in 2006. Stranahan’s was sold to the New Jersey based Proximo Spirits in 2010, with operations remaining Colorado. Rob Dietrich has served as the master distiller since 2011, taking over from the original master distiller Jake Norris.
Photo by Brian Donnelly
Photo by Brian Donnelly
George Stranahan original still from his experimental distilling days.
Photo by Brian Donnelly
Photo by Brian Donnelly
Grain Recipe
A proprietary blend of four barleys sourced exclusively from Colorado
Water
El Dorado Rocky Mountain Spring Water
Yeast & Fermentation
An unusual strain is selected to create the necessary unique flavor production. Fermentation lasts 6 days in closed-top, temperature-controlled stainless steel fermenters.
Distillation Process
Double distilled in a Copper Pot Stills, the new make whiskey is 70% ABV (140 Proof), and lowered to 55% ABV (110 Proof) before entering the barrel.
Maturation Process
Charred New American White Oak with a #3 Char. Non-Chill Filtered. Aged for a minimum of 2 years, but also with a marriage of whiskey aged 2, 3, 4, and 5 years.
Packaging
Each bottle of Stranahan’s is bottled by hand by volunteers, who receive a free tour and a bottle for their efforts. Volunteers sign up online and are selected by a random lottery pick. There is currently a waiting list of 200,000+ people. The bottle features a metal cap, inspired by the old barroom practice of covering bottles with tin cups when the corks dry out. Stranahan’s is credited with launching the Colorado distilling trend, and inventing the Rocky Mountain Whiskey category. Stranahan’s is the largest American Single Malt, both in volume and dollar sales, and is made grain to bottle in downtown Denver.
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Stranahan's Blue Peak
Stranahan's Blue Peak is the entry-level expression from the Denver-based American Single Malt brand. This product is named for the 13-thousand-foot peak in Aspen and is designed and priced to be more affordable and cocktail-friendly than the original Stranahan's yellow label.Blue Peak is distilled from 100 % malted barley and aged for 4 years in 53-gallon, new American oak barrels with a #3 char. Next, the whiskey is transferred into a 620-gallon toasted oak vessel, known as a foeder, to finish aging for several months in a Solera style. When a portion of aging whiskey is bottled, new 4-year-old single malt whiskey is added to top up the foeder. This method allows for continual or fractional blending of newer and older whiskey since the foeder is never fully emptied.The final product is cut or proofed down with Rocky Mountain water from El Dorado Springs, chill-filtered, and bottled at 86 proof (43% ABV).
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
Stranahan’s is an American Single Malt Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Denver, Colorado, the state’s first legal distillery after prohibition. Stranahan’s Original (yellow label) is distilled from 100% malted barley, aged for a minimum of 4 years in new American oak barrels with a # 3 char, with the final blend consisting of a marriage of barrels aged for 4, 5, and 7 years, before being cut to 94 proof (47 % ABV) with Rocky Mountain water from El Dorado Springs. Best enjoyed neat, with a splash of water, or in cocktails. (47% ABV 94 proof) Largest selling American Single Malt whiskey brand in the U.S.
Stranahan’s Diamond Peak
The ideal gift! Buy the best whiskey online. Price and reviews available for Stranahan's Diamond Peak Whiskey - 750ml Bottle. Stranahans Diamond Peak is a 100% single malt whiskey, hand-crafted from barley to bottle in Denver, Colorado, USA. Double-distilled and aged for 4 years in virgin American white oak barrels with a #3 char. Aromatic and flavorful with notes of Turkish apricot, dark-roast coffee, butterscotch oak, cayenne and Mexican hot chocolate. Full-bodied yet smooth mouth-feel, the finish is creamy and enduring. Best enjoyed neat, with a splash of water or in cocktails. (47% ABV 94 proof)
Stranahan’s Sherry Cask
Stranahan’s Sherry Cask (red label) takes 4-year old Singel Malt, and cask finishes the whiskey in 132-gallon (500-liter) Ex-Oloroso Sherry casks, sourced from the Andalusia region of southern Spain. These sherry casks have been aging wine for over 40 years, leaving a depth of flavor soaked into the oak staves. This product is bottled at 94 proof (47 % ABV). It is aromatic with over-ripe cherry, sweet apples, raisins, almonds, leather and fresh-cut hay. Its flavor has notes of honey, Montmorency cherries, blackcurrant, and fig, with nutty brine and walnut characteristics. Best enjoyed neat, with a splash of water or in cocktails.
Stranahan’s Snowflake
Just like in nature, no two snowflakes are ever the alike, well the same could be said for Stranahan’s Snowflake, which is a limited-release whiskey that is only available one day in December at the distillery. The whiskey is first aged for 2 years in new white American Oak barrels with a #3 char, before being transferred into use wine, sherry, cognac, rum, and/or tequila barrels.
Photo by Brian Donnelly
Photo by Brian Donnelly
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