Leopold Bros. Michigan Cherry Flavored Whiskey, Colorado

Bright Montmorency cherry meets vanilla, marzipan, and warm barrel spice in Leopold Bros. Michigan Cherry Flavored Whiskey, a richly colored yet softly finished expression inspired by American whiskey-making before Prohibition. Fresh juice from Michigan-grown tart cherries is blended with Leopold Bros. whiskey before the spirit rests in used bourbon barrels, allowing vivid fruit and whiskey character to integrate during maturation. The result reflects founders Todd and Scott Leopold's broader approach to distilling, combining revived heritage techniques, real ingredients, and deliberately hands-on production.

Product Details:

• Founders & Owners: Todd Leopold and Scott Leopold
• Distiller: Todd Leopold
• Fruit: Montmorency tart cherries from Michigan
• Production: Fresh cherry juice blended with whiskey before additional maturation
• Maturation: Rested in used bourbon barrels after blending with cherry juice
• Bottling: Bottled by hand
• Artificial Preservatives: None
• Alcohol: 40% ABV
• Proof: 80 Proof

Sensory Description:

Deep burgundy in color, with vivid tart cherry at the center of the aromatic profile. The fruit carries into the palate with a balance of brightness and gentle sweetness, while maturation in used bourbon barrels contributes vanilla, marzipan and warm spice. The whiskey remains soft through the finish, with the concentrated Montmorency cherry character integrated into rather than obscuring the underlying spirit.

Distiller's Background:

Leopold Bros. was founded in 1999 by brothers Todd and Scott Leopold, initially operating in Ann Arbor, Michigan, before the brothers returned to their home state of Colorado and ultimately established their current Denver distillery. Todd studied malting and brewing at the Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, continued his training at the Doemens Academy in Munich, and gained practical experience at European breweries and distilleries, while Scott studied economics and industrial engineering at Northwestern University and earned a master's degree in environmental engineering from Stanford University. Their complementary backgrounds have shaped an independently owned distillery committed to restoring labor-intensive production methods while incorporating environmentally conscious design. The current facility, opened in 2014, includes an on-site floor malting operation, multiple styles of stills, and a naturally conditioned dunnage-style barrelhouse. Across the portfolio, Leopold Bros. emphasizes whole grains, real fruit and botanicals, in-house fermentation and distillation, and historically informed methods chosen for their contribution to flavor rather than production efficiency.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve neat or over a large cube to highlight the interplay of tart cherry, vanilla, and barrel spice, or use it as the whiskey component in a fruit-driven Old Fashioned or Manhattan variation. Its concentrated cherry character also works well alongside dark chocolate and nut-based desserts. Because the whiskey is made with real fruit and no artificial preservatives, Leopold Bros. recommends consuming it within 60 days after opening when stored at room temperature. Refrigeration after opening can extend that recommended period to approximately 120 days.