A few years in the past, Stranahan’s opened a tasting room and restaurant in close by Aspen, and your prize for trekking out right here is entry to its “Aspen Unique” releases, one-off releases that come out roughly yearly and that are solely out there right here.
The primary Aspen Unique was a Calvados-finished single malt; this second launch, which we have been lucky to obtain, is completed in French oak Sauternes casks. The providing is a five-barrel mix of whiskeys. A type of 5 barrels spent 4 years in new oak and about 6 1/2 years in Sauternes. The opposite 4 spent 7 years in new oak (typical for a Stranahan’s yellow label launch) and a couple of years ending in Sauternes. They’re all blended collectively and releases as a 9 yr previous expression.
I tasted this whiskey over Zoom with Jason Levinson, Stranahan’s Nationwide Whiskey Educator. Ideas observe.
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Sauternes Cask Evaluate
On the nostril, I used to be shocked to search out a lot of apple and inexperienced grape notes, the fruit actually pouring on alongside a sultry, vanilla-heavy underbelly. Balanced and complicated, the brand new oak does plenty of the heavy lifting right here, providing basic baking spice and gently tanned leather-based components. Gingerbread is especially evocative with time in glass and a few water — which additionally helps a floral notice develop.
Creamy and candy, the palate is wealthy with vanilla, virtually custard-like, transferring slowly into notes of cashew butter and, once more, apple butter. Richly caramelized, the palate retains the fruit evident on the nostril, banana being distinguished, with baked apples a secondary character. A splash of water renews deal with the nuttier components, with a sprig of mint rising alongside. The end is flippantly honeyed — Sauternes at its clearest — and floral, with flippantly drying notes lastly evoking white tea, later inexperienced tea.
Evaluate and distinction with any of your favourite Sauternes-finished single malt Scotch whiskies to see how a spell in new oak can change the general tone of the expertise.
94 proof.
A- / $140
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Sauternes Cask
USD140
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