Whiskey is a surprisingly healthy beverage, with as many antioxidants as wine, no fat, no carbs, and very little sugar. It’s gluten-free due to distillation; unsurprisingly, many people love to sip a glass of whiskey to unwind.
Colorado is well-known for breweries and distilleries because they have crystal clear water from the mountains. If you want a unique Colorado whiskey, check out this list of the five best.
5 Colorado Whiskey Brands You Should Try
Colorado has an impressive drink scene, but these five brands stand out above the rest:
- Woody Creek Distillery
- Family Jones
- Tin Cup
- Breckenridge Distillery
- Peach Street Distillers
1. Woody Creek Distillery
Woody Creek Distillery is one of the top brands making whiskey in Colorado. The distillery is about 15 miles west of Aspen in Basalt, where Hunter S. Thompson used to live. Woody Creek Distillery prides itself on using custom ingredients—never using base spirits or neutral grain spirits from other providers.
Colorado is a state known for its natural beauty, and Woody Creek Distillery aims to share that experience with its customers. They grow and harvest many ingredients, like potatoes for vodka and rye for rye mash whiskey.
They craft each bottle of rye mash whiskey in CARL stills and age it for at least four years. They age the bourbon just as long, giving it a rich taste of caramel, cinnamon, and honey. If you’re in the area, you can visit the Woody Creek Distillery’s tasting room, which is open Wednesday through Saturday. You can even tour the distillery to get a glimpse behind the scenes.
Of course, you can order Colorado whiskey and ship it anywhere. Order from Woody Creek Distillery online and then check out cocktail recipes on their site to enjoy a taste of Colorado at home.
2. Family Jones
Family Jones is a Denver distillery with an additional Loveland location about an hour north of Denver. The Loveland location is home to the still and bottling line but isn’t open to the public yet. The Denver site is the spirit house where they craft cocktails. You can visit to get a drink and even stay to eat. They offer weekend tours if you want a peak behind the scenes.
Family Jones uses ingredients from local farms, sourcing nearby rye, malts, and grains. They have Atticus Jones, a straight rye whiskey, and Ella Jones, a straight bourbon whiskey. Jones House is an American whiskey, a blend of bourbon mash and straight rye whiskey.
If you’re not in the Denver area, you can buy bottles of pre-made cocktails to get an experience that rivals one at the spirit house. You can also buy the spirits individually. However, you can only find Family Jones products across Colorado, not buy them online to ship home.
3. Tin Cup Mountain Whiskey
Tin Cup Mountain Whiskey is a distillery in Denver. They use water directly from the Rocky Mountains, ensuring it’s fresh and pure. You can buy Tin Cup spirits online and check out complementary cocktail recipes on their site to create delicious drinks at home. You can also buy bottles in stores, but there’s no dedicated tasting room for this brand.
Their American whiskey has hints of spice, but they also have an original, rye, and ten-year. The original is a mix of straight bourbon and single malt. The rye uses local ingredients and ages in a barrel for three years. The ten-year, of course, ages for ten years in white American oak barrels, with notes of cinnamon, honey, pine, and sweet pepper.
4. Breckenridge Distillery
Breckenridge Distillery has several amazing offerings, including limited releases and their famous rum cask finish bourbon. While whiskey can have many flavors, this option is truly unique, with a fruity undertone and hints of spice. If you’re a fan of tropical drinks, this bourbon will be your go-to choice.
The distillery is the world’s highest due to its location, but don’t let that scare you off. They offer free shuttles to bring guests to the distillery for a tour and time spent in the tasting room. However, even if you can’t make the trek, you can order online and enjoy the virtual experience.
You can choose several types of bourbon whiskey, including:
- A blend
- High proof
- Port cask finish
- PX cask finish
- Reserve blend
- Single barrel
One of their most innovative offerings is the Dark Arts, whiskey distilled from malt mash. This whiskey, along with many others, spends up to ten years in casks to get the most luxurious mouthfeel possible.
5. Peach Street Distillers
Peach Street Distillers is a distillery in Palisade, Colorado, that loves to experiment with unique flavors and local offerings. They make several types of spirits, including:
- Amaro
- Bourbon
- Brandy
- D’Agave
- Eau de Vie
- Gin
- Grappa
- Vodka
- Whiskey
Their whiskey uses local grains and specialty malts. They have American, single-barrel, smoked rye, and straight rye whiskey. If you love hops, they have a hop-flavored whiskey made from a local IPA. You can order all of these online unless you happen to be in the area.
In that case, you can visit the tasting room, which is open seven days a week. The Foodery Depot is on-site with plenty of snacks and main courses to keep you full if you want to stick around for a while and enjoy the view. The distillery also offers tours three days a week.
To Sum Up
This list of the five best Colorado whiskey brands is just the tip of the mountain, so to speak. The state of natural beauty has a lot to offer in terms of craft breweries and distilleries, so there will always be something amazing to mix into a cocktail or sip at the end of a long day. You know we’ll cover any new whiskeys, so stick with us, and you’ve got it made.
