This whiskey is something Special, a collaboration of 7 Colorado Distilleries; Distillery 291, Bear Creek, Laws Whiskey House, Old Elk, State 38, Woods High Mountain, and Woody Creek. Made of 100% Colorado Grown wheat, and aged in oak barrels at Laws rackhouse, the Colorado Distillers Collaboration whiskey has an added bonus-all of the proceeds of these bottles were donated to charities of the distillery’s choice. This whiskey came to be thanks to generous donations Colorado Malting Company who donated the wheat, barrels from Atlas Barrel Company, Company, and Independent Stave Company, bottles from O-I packaging solutions, Corks from Tapi Group, and labels from The Columbine Label Company. After each distillery made their own whiskey, about 20 gallons, and then brought it to be aged. After 5 years of sitting in barrels, the collaborators unanimously decided: it was time to bottle the whiskey.
The yield from this project was 735 bottles, so every distillery received 105 bottles to sell and raise money for the charity of their choice. The entire project was born out of a love for Colorado, and a desire to showcase what the state’s distilleries are capable of when they come together, much like many of the breweries that call Colorado home.
While this particular bottle is sold out, the project itself sets up what will hopefully be many more collaborations between distillers in the future-there are already some in the works now.
In the Bottle:
Mashbill:
100% Colorado Grown Wheat donated by Colorado Malting Company
Age:
5 Years in Charred Oak Barrels donated by Atlas Barrel Company, Independent Stave Company, and Canton.
Proof:
100 Proof (50% ABV)
In the Glass:
Color:
Amber white a little bronze/red tint-clear but leaves some oily legs on the glass.
Without Water:
Nose:
This particular whiskey invites you in with notes of butterscotch, earthy hay, and brown sugar. It is sweet, but not overly, and extremely inviting.
Palate:
Soft up front, full of baked goods, cinnamon, and butterscotch or toffee. A thick and leathery mouthfeel, the mid palate has some hints of dark fruits and brown sugar.
Finish:
Some dry tannins, dark fruits, and Cola. There are also hints of tobacco and some leather. It lingers for quite a while, but is sweet and easy drinking.
With Water:
Nose:
A little bit of dark fruit notes join the more earthy tones, and the sweeter butterscotch notes faded a little bit.
Palate:
Softer up front, with less cinnamon and more floral and earthy notes. The leathery and tobacco notes all hang around, and the mouthfeel is a little less thick but still a little oily and coating.
Finish:
Surprisingly, the finish was longer, with the oak and tannic notes staying around for a greater time than without water. The Cola flavors fade a bit to the back with the dried fruit and tobacco taking more of a front and center role.
Final Thoughts:
I have said it so many times in reviews past, and other whiskey folks have caught on as well. There is something really special in Colorado-and when 7 distilleries all put their heads together to create a bottle to showcase their talents and raise money for charities important to them, well it just showcases that exact point. This whiskey is a truly special, one of a kind release that I am thrilled to have been able to get my hands on and sample. Everything about this bottle impressed me, from the beautiful label-a Colorado Rocky Mountain Skyline with a faint wheat stalk image behind the lettering, to the quality of the product inside and then the money raised by creating it, there is nothing from the Colorado Distillers Collaboration that does not impress.
The Bottle Says “Whiskey Made For Good”
This whiskey lives up to that statement, and more.
SHOUT OUT!
Before we get to the ads below which help me keep this site running, I want to give a big shout out to Chuck Rasco Photography. Based in Colorado, Chuck is an Army Vet who takes photos and creates prints available to purchase off his website, or at First Friday which takes place on the First Friday of Every Month in downtown Denver. Chuck was kind enough to let me use his photo of the Colorado Distiller’s Collaboration bottle for this review. Not only is this particular image fantastic, but the work he does is all excellent. Should you want to check out the rest of his work, follow the link below!
https://chuckrascophotography.com/
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