Summer West Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Colorado

Summer West Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey is built around a simple point of distinction: barrels filled during the heat of summer and selected individually for a lighter, sweeter, approachable expression of bourbon. Distilled in Owensboro, Kentucky, this release was barreled in July 2021 and bottled in April 2026 after 4 years and 2 months of maturation. Its rye-accented mash bill brings structure and spice to a profile centered on vanilla, cinnamon, and dried fruit.

Product Details:

• Founder: Noah Purdom
• Base Ingredient: Corn
• ABV / Proof: 40% ABV / 80 Proof
• Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 13% Rye, 9% Malted Barley
• Maturation: 4 Years, 2 Months
• Barreled: July 2021
• Bottled: April 2026
• Production: Individually selected, summer-barreled bourbon

Sensory Description:

Vanilla leads the profile with a rounded sweetness, followed by cinnamon spice and the deeper fruit character of raisin. The rye component provides a firmer spicy edge against the corn-driven sweetness, while maturation brings the flavors together into a balanced, approachable style. The overall impression is warm and gently sweet, with dried fruit and baking spice adding depth to the vanilla-centered core.

Distiller's Background:

Summer West Bourbon Co. was founded by Noah Purdom with the aim of presenting bourbon through a more contemporary and approachable lens. The concept developed after a trip along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, where Purdom noticed that several barrels he particularly enjoyed had been filled during the summer months. Conversations with master distillers led to the brand’s focus on whiskey barreled during warmer conditions, which Summer West associates with greater early interaction between whiskey and oak. The company now selects its bourbon barrel by barrel from a distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky, with an emphasis on smoothness and sweetness. Summer West emerged following Purdom’s earlier Bravado Whiskey venture, with the current brand subsequently receiving a comprehensive visual and packaging rebrand.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve neat in a rocks or tasting glass to focus on the vanilla, cinnamon, and raisin character, or add a small amount of water to open the sweeter aromatics. Its combination of corn sweetness and rye spice also suits bourbon-forward classics such as an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, where the whiskey can retain its structure without overwhelming the drink.