Salida Distillery 'Stagrabbit' Bourbon, Colorado

Vanilla, oak, gentle grain sweetness, and rye-driven spice come together in a whiskey that is both approachable and distinctly expressive. Salida Distillery StagRabbit Blended Bourbon Whiskey, Colorado combines 55% three-year-old straight rye whiskey with 45% two-year-old straight wheat whiskey, bringing the spice of rye together with the softer character of wheat. Created in Salida in Colorado’s Upper Arkansas River Valley, StagRabbit reflects a small distillery committed as much to its mountain watershed and sustainable production as to the character of the spirits it produces.

Product Details:

• Producer: Salida Distillery
• Owners: Gabe Barnard, Maggie Barnard, Daniel Gallen
• Distiller: Gabe Barnard
• Spirit Type: Blended straight whiskey
• Blend: 55% three-year-old straight rye whiskey, 45% two-year-old straight wheat whiskey
• Age Statement: Components aged two to three years
• Production: Produced with an electric still powered by solar energy and a locally engineered closed-loop cooling system designed to reduce water consumption

Sensory Description:

StagRabbit balances the contrasting personalities of its two component whiskeys. The rye brings spice and definition, while the wheat contributes a softer, rounder texture. Vanilla and oak form the core of the profile, with grain sweetness providing balance against the whiskey’s more peppery rye character. The result is smooth without losing structure, moving between mellow sweetness, warm spice, and persistent oak.

Awards & Accolades:

• Bronze: American Distilling Institute, 2023

Producer’s Background:

Salida Distillery is a family-owned and operated high-mountain distillery rooted in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Distiller and co-owner Gabe Barnard first moved to Salida in 1996 and later pursued education, water-industry work, and apprenticeships in craft distilling before returning in 2023 to establish the distillery with his wife, Maggie Barnard, and brother-in-law Daniel Gallen. StagRabbit sits at the center of the house whiskey program, with its rye and wheat components also represented individually through The Chase and The Courtship.

The distillery’s identity is closely tied to the rivers and mountains surrounding Salida. Its production facility uses a solar-powered electric still and a closed-loop cooling system engineered to dramatically reduce water use, while a portion of bottle sales supports community organizations working on forest, fire-mitigation, and watershed health. That connection between whiskey, water, and place gives StagRabbit an unusually local identity within Colorado craft distilling.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve at room temperature in a Glencairn or rocks glass to emphasize the interplay of vanilla, oak, wheat softness, and rye spice. Enjoy it neat, with a large cube, or in whiskey-forward classics such as an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Its combination of sweetness and spice also works well alongside smoked meats, barbecue, roasted nuts, aged cheddar, or dark chocolate.