Stranahan’s Whiskey was founded in 2004 and holds a special place as one of the first distilleries in the craft distilling rise of the mid-2000s. Founded by Jess Graber and George Stranahan, who also founded Flying Dog Brewery and the Woody Creek Tavern, the duo latched onto using local ingredients to create their offerings. The Stranahan’s Blue Peak was introduced in 2020; it is aged for four years and then finished with Solera aging, much like Spanish bodegas do with sherry, in large oaken barrels called foeders. New whiskey is put in to replace the whiskey being taken out, which means older spirit continually remains to mingle with the newer and creating a unique effect. It is also, at time of press, their cheapest whiskey.
Distillery: Stranahan’s
Region: Foreign
Age: NAS
Strength: 43%
Price: $42.99
Maturation: 53 gallon new American oak barrels with #3 char
Location: Denver, Colorado
Nose: Tropical fruit, stewed fig, raisin, honey, caramel, sherry, almond
Palate: Honey, fruit, malt
Finish: Wintergreen, mint chocolate, plum
Comments: Water is not needed.
Adam – The Blue Peak is approachable. I think that’s my major takeaway here. Attractively priced, a nifty bottle design, and then you get into an approachable nose. But this isn’t a cheap whiskey! The nose itself is alive with fruits and sweets and a little nuttiness. It’s refreshing, to be honest. Something you want to savor and not rush, and that’s before you even take a sip. The story continues from the nose into the palate, carried by honey and fruit before finishing with a lovely minty sweetness at the end, like a garnish on the top of your experience.
Kate – Vaguely lemony on the nose, with raisin, oak, and spring dew. The palate of the Blue Peak is more cornbread with butter and creamed honey, fig jelly, and it’s incredibly smooth. The finish for me is light and vaguely oaky. This is light and great for the first nice day in spring.
Bill – I just want to have some of the Blue Peak dumped into a minced meat pie, like my grandmother used to make.
Finishing with a lovely minty sweetness at the end, like a garnish on the top of your experience.
Henry – Stewed fig, dark honey, caramel, and sherry on the nose. Palate adds cereal and vegetal notes that integrate beautifully with the winey and dark caramel notes. Date and fig on the finish with drying tannins and a pleasant astringency.
Ben – Like high end organic raisins on the nose.
