Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey (Discontinued)

It smells like tomato with American cheese as well as apple and strawberry. It's frankly a gross-smelling combination without a ton of pungeancy. The palate is more typical though. There's a fair deal of spice making it kind of harsh and there's some delightful strawberry backing. There is this weird underlying meaty note that brings back the tomato and cheese though. It's weird, but mostly in the background. The sweet fruitiness is otherwise refreshingly summery. There is a little bit of caramelized sugar present, but there is not that buttery caramel flavor that is usually found. There is some nice woodiness that is a bit bitter, interfering with the summeriness a bit, but adding some depth. There is also some smoke, which kicks the freshness in the face, unfortunately. There's some independent butter going on here, which is a perfect complement. This could use some more age, but there is a fair amount of complexity - not a tone, but enough to let several notes shine through. The one weird failing is the tomato and cheese presence. That does at times give way to some extra alcohol and raisins, both of which are more appropriate for this drink. The burnt caramel and butter do kind of merge into a toffee flavor at points. More and more complexity gradually comes out. The Sherry influence is clearly manifested. The flavors balance well, aside from the tomato and cheese. There is some vanilla, but not much in the way of floral notes. The richness eventually shows its strength, but it is really the sweetness that stands out here. This is a fun drink.

Not a bad. Everyday supper. A bit too good to mix. Young. But semi enjoyable

Spicy, oak