Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (Discontinued)

Nose: Sweet and fruity, with apple notes. It begins with an excellent maple syrup and black coffee combination. Underlying that are some earthy malt notes. Vanilla, salted caramel, and oak are also present. It reminds me of rum cask finishing, though this is matured in new oak. Toasted cereal grains are woven throughout, along with a touch of earthiness. Subtle, warm spices, mostly nutmeg and allspice. The sweetness resembles that of heavily caramelized onions, with a hint of savory character, though not in an off-putting way. Palate: The maple and coffee combination comes through. It's now more pear-like, with some apricot emerging. The barrel influence is also noticeable, with vanilla, caramel, and a hint of charred oak appearing. Honey nut cheerios, raisins, and currants. Nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon appear and fade. White grape juice. It sits mostly on the mid-palate. Well-balanced, though leaning towards the middle range. Lighter mouthfeel, which complements the approachable character of the spirit. Finish: Starts slightly vegetal and herbal. Chocolate, leather, and char emerge. Dried fruits slowly become more prominent, and the coffee/maple character returns. Earthy malt and black tea are revealed, and the flavors linger. Additional thoughts: I'm aiming to explore more 'new to me' bottles in 2021 to expand my tasting experience and collection. Through last year's advent calendar, I developed an appreciation for spirits beyond Islay, bourbon, and high proof, so I'm seeking more restrained, subtle, nuanced, or simply different options. This fits the bill perfectly. It's not overpowering but still offers solid complexity and nuance. It sits comfortably in the mid-range of intensity while providing plenty to discover. Highly accessible, very drinkable, and ultimately engaging. It might not become a staple I always keep on hand, but I could easily see myself picking up a bottle to share with friends. Cheers!

Alright, this is certainly a peculiar and unusual one, though not necessarily in a bad way. Nose: Ripe fruit notes are prominent, alongside a malty, grainy character like Grape-Nuts cereal. It surprisingly tastes like rye, despite not containing any, which is an interesting trick. Orange zest and a subtle vanilla are in the background, with a hint of cherry and dried fruit. Some spice notes like allspice or cinnamon are present. Medium complexity; it could probably use a little more time aging or a good finishing barrel. Taste: Definitely malty with a rye-like spice upfront, cereal grains, and woody oak notes. Fruity vanilla notes eventually emerge but quickly vanish in the finish, returning with a peppery heat. Some light to medium herbal notes and a slight smokiness are also present. Overall, this seems like a blend of Scotch style with a strong American distilling influence. I prefer actual Scotch over this, but I'd suggest giving it a shot. Your opinion might vary. It doesn't really fit into any single category.

Immediately, I'm detecting a lot of sweetness on the nose. Everything from cherry, vanilla, and caramel corn. A great deal of sweetness fills the air. My mind also suggests "fresh baked bread." So, that's the barley making its presence known. I tasted all of that sweetness on the tip of my tongue, and then the heat and spice arrived. It wasn't unpleasant, just a little unexpected given the sweetness I perceived on the nose. I believe my mind was anticipating a taste that matched the sweetness of a wheated bourbon. The flavor does persist for a while, and I detected some orange notes after a bit. Adding a small amount of water also softened it slightly. Overall, I found this highly enjoyable. I might try to find the cask strength version to experience that. Batch 254 94 Proof

I took a chance on this based on tasting notes I found online. It was a barrel pick from a small local shop, but they acquire excellent barrels, so I decided to try it. Initially, I was disappointed. It smelled almost like a peated scotch and tasted nothing like the notes I had seen. I've discovered that sometimes it helps to let a spirit sit and open up, which it did significantly. It has a soft texture and tastes much more like what I had anticipated. The finish isn't great, but overall, it was a reasonable purchase.

This is an unusual drink! The aroma is very sweet, smelling of honey and creamy caramel. The flavor is candy-like with a young scotch undertone. There's a very mild sting on the finish with hints of apple and honey. I like it. It's quite different from our typical bourbon selection (as it should be, being non-bourbon), but not as intense as heavily peated scotch or smoky Texas offerings.

I sampled this after trying several other different pours. I'm short on specifics, but the main impression was that this is not a whisky I enjoyed. It starts off pleasantly sweet but concludes with an earthy, damp hay note that I find off-putting. I would definitely try it again, but I doubt my overall opinion would change. Unsurprisingly, I won't be purchasing my own bottle of this particular whisky.