Stranahan’s Colorado Single Malt Whiskey was started more than 20 years ago and is the best-selling American single malt whiskey in the US.
Author: Noah Rothbaum
At the turn of the twenty-first century, there was a great debate among drinks experts about whether you could make single malt whiskey in the United States that was worth drinking. Could you meld Scottish traditions with American ones to create something completely new or would this hybrid just embarrassingly fall flat?
The first time I was convinced that American single malt could actually be more than an existential distilling exercise was when I tasted Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. The brand dates back to 2004 and was the state’s first distillery since Prohibition. I tried the whiskey for the first time a few years later. After a couple of sips, it became apparent that this pioneering craft whiskey, made in Denver, was neither a Scotch knockoff nor an extra-malty bourbon. According to Stranahan’s Founder Jess Graber, the original goal of the brand was to make a whiskey unique to Colorado–and unique to whiskey–that combined single malt’s Scotch origins with American bourbon processing. The end result was something truly delicious. I felt like I had discovered a new secret dram. Since then, Stranahan’s has become the most-awarded and best-selling American single malt in the country.
Now, of course, there is no longer a debate about whether American single malt is a viable category, and since this past January it has its own federal regulations. The highlights of these production standards include the fact that American single malt now has to have a base of only malted barley; can’t be a blend of whiskies from different distilleries; must be mashed, distilled and aged in the US; must be distilled to a maximum proof of 160; stored in oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 700 liters; and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof.
It was definitely time for federal regulations given there are now more than 250 producers of single malt across the US. These regulations make sure that there is regularity no matter where in the country the whiskey is made or by who, and puts it on par with other major spirits, which already have dedicated categories.
Stranahan’s is, of course, no longer a secret. It has a third of the total category sales, which thankfully means I can find it on the menus of many of my favorite bars. After all these years, the whiskey is still made from locally sourced barley and Rocky Mountain spring water, distilled twice in a copper pot still and aged in new American oak barrels that have a number three char. “Twenty years one recipe and one recipe only,” says the brand’s Head Blender Justin Aden. “We really have a singular focus at getting good at this.”
The last time I visited the distillery, I saw a range of different types of barrels being used to age whiskey. I was more than intrigued and wanted to taste all of these different single malts. Fortunately, I don’t have to wait anymore, as Stranahan’s has developed a robust portfolio of award-winning American single malt whiskies. In 2024, it was named “Best in Class” American Single Malt Whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Stranahan’s has grown from offering a single spirit, the so-called Original (which is currently a blend of whiskies aged five to eight years, is a robust 47% ABV and is non-chill filtered) to now selling a full line of single malts. All of the whiskies are made the same way but differ in age and if they’re finished in a second barrel. In addition to Original, its core portfolio includes the Solera-finished Blue Peak, which has a rich and mellow flavor at a lower 43% ABV; Sherry Cask, which is aged for a second time in Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks and is a great dram for Scotch drinkers just getting into American single malts; the Diamond Peak series that releases a new limited edition every year making use of barrels that formerly held other types of liquor (the newest one, which just came out, was aged in beer casks); and the Mountain Angel line that features a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old whiskey, which are among the oldest American single malts ever to be widely released.
For one day only, on the first Saturday in December, you can buy Stranahan’s rare Snowflake Release at its Colorado distillery, which sells out in just a few hours—some fans show up several days early to be the first in line to snag a bottle. I also suggest looking out for the brand’s Founder’s Release 12-year-old that commemorates both the new single malt category and celebrates its legacy.
I can’t think of a better way to toast the success of the now official American single malt category than by raising a glass of Stranahan’s.
Learn More About Stranahan’s by visiting their website!
