Stranahan's Blue Peak

Nose is sweet and rich. I get the notes of buble gum (yep, the pink stuff in a bag), raisins, leather, and some floral notes. Palate is richer and a bit more robust with the leather pairing with wood, sugar covered dried fruits, and brown sugar sweetness. Not brown sugar itself, but the lingering sweet and savory flavor it gives when eaten raw. That stays until the finish Wich is bittersweet and lasts for a fair amount of time. Water made the nose much more honey and floral and did the same with the palate along with adding a pepper note. Overall this is a really interesting and tasty whiskey. I'm excited to be getting access to great American single Malts at a fair price.

Don’t get much on the nose, except for maybe some light butterscotch. The body is earthy, with an almost peaty finish. Harsh.

Spicy and very drinkable

I've always been curious about Stranahan's, but had always shied away due to the cost. When I saw this release at a very reasonable $42, I figured it was time to give it a go. APPEARANCE: Great bottle shape and labeling (but this one is missing the tin cup cap). Pours into the Glencairn a pale copper color. Fairly clingy with slow to form thin legs. NOSE: Very Good. Has an overall Light Floral Quality. Faintly Tropical with Coconut and Pineapple. Gives off a Dry Dusty Sweetness almost Like the Dry Crumbly Streusel topping found on top of a Coffee Cake. I do get faint wisps of the Banana that others have mentioned, but it grows and becomes more prominent the longer it sits. There is also just the tiniest bit of Heat. The empty Glass smells just like Honeycomb. NEAT: Nice Velvety Coating mouthfeel. That Floral Quality is strong here as well. It enters with a Light Malty Sweetness followed by Buttery Biscuit, Leather, Honeycomb, and Butterscotch. There is an Oaky Note, but not charred. More like Weathered. Just a hint of tingle on the palate with a fairly Long Finish. Old Leather and Oak on the clingy Long Lasting aftertaste. Just a hint of bitterness. SPLASH: A few drops of water and the Butterscotch really takes over both the Palate and Nose. VERDICT: Very pleased with this one at $42. A unique experience that is definitely one of the better American Malts that I've tried. At what is apparently not much more than 4 years old, it shows what good Craft Whisky can be in the right hands. This is one I'll definitely keep on hand as long as it remains available at its current price point.

Uncorking- nose - Has that Willet like flavor. I don't know what it is. Maybe some ripe banana. Fruit. Taste - more Willet, fruit, nutmeg, almost rye but I know this has no rye in the mash. It's my first Stranahan's and it's interesting enough I'll try more.

Excellent dram. Some descriptions online state it being at least 4 year, but all the bottle says is it recieved solera vat finishing and water it was cut with is glacial from 13000 ft elevation. 86 proof/43%abv. ~$45-55usd if you can find it. Nose is wonderfully sweet and rich--banana laffy taffy, cantaloupe, at the very end I get a pears-and-sea salt note that balances the sweetness amazingly. Palate is more apricot, cinnamon sugar, toffee, really old raisins. The sugariness never comes off as overpowering or saccharine, cloying--its exceptionally nice to savor it when you combine it with the mouth. Mouth is a treat. Smoothest american whiskey I've ever had, a touch smoother than gentleman jack (this really has no heat in the mouth at all). Its very short and doesnt really linger long. For flavors this well-balanced that's probably too short, but this had so much going for it otherwise you really cant care. Some may even find the 'crispness' of the finish combined with the sweet smoothness a bonus. Good hooch, try a sip if you ever see it.