Benji-Robert
Stranahan's Blue Peak
American Single Malt — Colorado, USA
Reviewed
November 2, 2020 (edited October 30, 2021)
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.
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Nice review...I sure am getting the cantaloupe blasting through, its quite enjoyable
@Benji-Robert FWIW, the official Stranahan's Website lists it as at least 4 years old before it undergoes the vatting process. I was really impressed by this one. Like you said, Mouthfeel, Nose, Neat, Rocks, Price...It ticks all the boxes.
for those curious this passes a lot of litmus tests -great neat -great rocks -excellent nose -vfm
@ContemplativeFox the vatting made it really nicely 'built' when you taste it. The syrupy, sweetbread-like elements are highlighted and mute the malt that creates them. I really cant explain, but it's just so dang smooth it never brings to mind any sort of distinct grain/heat/etc... Like you said, very good American.
Wow, that's a good price. Stranahan's is definitely one of the better American single malt producers.