When the short days grow cold in the deep Colorado winter … ‘Whisky is liquid sunshine’

By The Thirst Team

The Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw gets credit for the “liquid sunshine” quote, which seems wholly appropriate for this time of year in Colorado when the sun makes its short daily visit in the southern sky. As the brisk, high-country winds drive most to seek refuge indoors, it’s a great time to sip some of the finest whiskeys the craftspeople in our state have to offer.

Distillery 291
Small Batch Colorado Bourbon Whiskey
Opening a fine bottle of whiskey is always a treat, yet opening a bottle of 291’s bourbon is one of the more satisfying things you can do on a cold winter’s night. After undoing the old-fashioned clasp and pulling out the cork, you’ll find a unique and comforting whiskey. Barrel aged one year and finished with charred aspen staves in the Colorado Springs distillery, this bourbon rolls onto the tongue like smooth molasses and finishes with a hint of honey.
100 Proof

Mythology Distillery
Hell Bear American Whiskey
Outside the snow might be layering up like blankets, but inside the fire is warm and the mood more docile. Enter the Hell Bear. Mythology’s whiskey is a blend of straight rye whiskey and four year-old bourbons. Spicy rye and fruit flavors up front are subdued by soft caramel, vanilla and cinnamon spice on the finish. As the Denver distillery puts it, “Inspired by the spirit of Hell Bear, we crafted a blend of straight rye whiskey and straight bourbon that’s sharp enough to bite through your favorite cocktail but smooth enough to be enjoyed neat.”
90 Proof

Laws Whiskey House
Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Gather up your favorite blanket, grab a book and pour yourself a dram. Laws Whiskey House in Denver uses local heirloom varietals of wheat, barley and rye from two Colorado farms to bring a complex whiskey to your glass. Rich and dry, the flavors that come to the palate consist of orange, sweet tobacco and spice. This particular whiskey rests for three years in charred oak barrels.
95 Proof

Spirit Hound Distillers
Straight-Malt Whisky
A storm is blowing in, carrying moisture from far off lands, conjuring images of Scottish cliffs being battered by the sea. If that’s not too dramatic, it’s time for a little Spirit Hound in your cup. Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons added a Scottish twist to their whisky by adding a peated malt. After distillation, it ages in barrels for at least two years, until deemed ready. Then it’s bottled barrel by barrel, rendering each batch to its flavor profile, no two alike.
90 Proof

Breckenridge Distillery
Breckenridge Whiskey Rum Cask Finish
The blended bourbon whiskey offers a spin that will pleasantly surprise even the purists. Finishing Breck’s high-rye whiskey in a rum cask elevates this hooch well beyond the distillery’s 9,300 feet. With the addition of a combination of spices, herbs, fruit peels and other ingredients (plus years of tinkering), the result has been wildly popular and super easy to sip neat.
90 Proof

Woods High Mountain Distillery
Sawatch American Malt Whiskey
When the Arkansas River freezes and the snow on the Sawatch Range gets deep, it’s time to hunker down and sip this fine, limited edition malt whiskey. Batch 3 was matured more than four years in charred new American Oak with a blend of malted grains and two-row barley. Released late last year, it can be found at its birthplace in Salida or at select liquor stores.
98 Proof

Old Elk distillery
Straight Wheat Whiskey
This bright and refreshing wheat whiskey will remind you that warm spring days are just around the corner. With hints of honey, vanilla and stone fruits, the whiskey is smooth and palate pleasing. Crafted with 95 percent winter wheat and 5 percent malted barley, this layered treat comes out of Fort Collins, but not before it’s been aged for a minimum of five years.
100 proof