Stranahan's Original Single Malt Whiskey, Colorado

Burnt amber in the glass, with caramel-butterscotch, vanilla, maple, warm spice, and seasoned oak building across a rich, creamy palate. Stranahan's Original Single Malt Whiskey is the foundational expression of this pioneering Colorado distillery, crafted entirely from malted barley and matured at high altitude in new charred American oak. First released in 2006, Original remains an expression of Stranahan's grain-to-glass approach to American single malt, combining traditional malt whiskey foundations with distinctly Rocky Mountain ingredients and maturation.

Product Details:

• Founders: Jess Graber and George Stranahan
• Head Distiller: Owen Martin
• ABV: 47%
• Proof: 94
• Grain: 100% malted barley
• Water: Rocky Mountain spring water
• Aging: 6 to 9 years
• Barrels: New American oak with #3 char
• Filtration: Non-chill filtered
• Production: Small batch

Sensory Description:

Burnt amber in color, Original opens with caramel-butterscotch, vanilla, maple syrup, and leather. The palate is full and creamy, layering cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, warm caramel, spiced pear, and melted brown sugar over a firm malt foundation. A touch of cayenne-like warmth introduces the finish, where light fruit gives way to pronounced oak, rich tobacco, and aged leather.

Awards & Accolades:

• Best of Class: New York World Spirits Competition 2024
• Double Gold: San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024; New York World Spirits Competition 2024; North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition 2024
• Platinum: ASCOT Awards 2024
• Gold: Denver International Spirits Competition 2024; International Spirits Challenge 2024; San Diego Spirits Festival 2024; Los Angeles Invitational Spirits Challenge 2024; John Barleycorn Awards 2024; International Women's Spirit Competition 2024

Distiller's Background:

Stranahan's traces its beginnings to a 1998 barn fire that brought volunteer firefighter Jess Graber together with brewery owner and whiskey enthusiast George Stranahan. Their shared interest in whiskey and the Colorado landscape developed into Stranahan's, founded in 2004 as Colorado's first legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition. The first bottle of Original followed in 2006, establishing the house style around 100% malted barley, Rocky Mountain water, small-batch production, and maturation in American oak. Now part of Proximo Spirits, Stranahan's continues to distill its American single malt in Denver, maintaining a grain-to-glass approach while developing a broader range of malt whiskey expressions.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve neat at approximately 18 to 21 degrees Celsius in a Glencairn, copita, or other tulip-shaped whiskey glass to emphasize the malt, caramel, vanilla, and oak aromas. A small addition of water can soften the 94-proof structure and open the sweeter malt and fruit notes, while a large cube offers a slower, cooler presentation. Its caramel, chocolate, spice, and oak character also suits classic whiskey cocktails and pairs naturally with roasted nuts, aged hard cheeses, grilled or smoked meats, dark chocolate, and caramel-based desserts.