Postcard From Colorado
Drinking whiskey at a bar where Butch Cassidy once did
I’m currently traveling through the wilds of Colorado, and along the way. I’ve encountered a handful of surprisingly well-crafted wines, most notably from Sutcliffe Vineyards.
But when I stopped by a former mining town-turned-resort where the notorious criminal Butch Cassidy once drank, I decided it was time to order some whiskey. It just didn’t seem quite right to have a glass of Riesling standing atop Cassidy’s signature carved into the bar (see right).
I wanted something local, and Erik the bartender recommended Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. Stranahan’s distillery is located in Denver, and the whiskey is distilled exclusively from barley grown in the nearby Rocky Mountains. (The water also comes, of course, “from the snow-packed peaks of the Colorado Rockies.”)
Sampled neat, the whiskey had an appealing nose of corn and vanilla, but a generally dry character. It started smooth and oaky, followed by a blast of rowdy spice and a fascinating herbaceous and slightly bitter finish.
At 94 proof, this is a strong, serious whiskey that any manly mountain man would enjoy. I suspect even Butch Cassidy himself would have approved.
Stranahan’s! My favorite whiskey! I can’t get it in Oklahoma so I always stock up when I’m in Colorado. Stranahan’s is so smooth! I need a distributor in Oklahoma!
I can see why you like it – it’s tasty stuff!
Did you drink all bottle? 😀 tough guy!
Ha! Actually that was my second bottle.
We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the whiskey! If you are ever in Denver, please stop by the distillery for a tour to learn about our grain-to-bottle operations….and stay for a tasting, of course!
Happy Travels! – The Stranahan’s Crew
Thanks for the invitation – hopefully I’ll pass through Denver soon and can take you up on it!