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 Thirst Colorado | Serving Up the Colorado Experience | Lifestyle and Craft Libations

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SERVING UP THE COLORADO LIFESTYLE

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Peyton Manning Brings His Talents to Colorado (Again)

July 7, 2021 Paul Johnson
Photo Credit: From the Hip Photo

Photo Credit: From the Hip Photo

Sweetens Cove Bourbon is Not Your Average Celebrity Spirit

By Jay McKinney

When Peyton Manning announced he would be signing with the Broncos in 2012, it sent a wave of enthusiasm across the state and rejuvenated the team’s loyal fan base. But since his reign of excellence on the football field has ended, Manning has found a new way to dominate with his recent venture into the bourbon industry.

With the first release sold in only Tennessee and Georgia, Sweetens Cove bourbon is now available in Colorado, and it is more than just another trendy celebrity spirit. It’s won over Manning fans and bourbon aficionados alike, with renowned distiller Marianne Eaves appointed as the master blender. Aside from being a tasty libation, the interesting story of how the bourbon came to be sets it apart from Manning’s other mainstream endorsements.

It started at Sweetens Cove Golf Club, a dinky nine-hole public course outside of Chattanooga, Tenn. Despite lacking a lavish clubhouse or even a paved parking lot, the humble property has amassed a cult following and lured a notable team to purchase the course. The ownership group includes Manning and tennis great Andy Roddick, who both fell in love with this hidden gem. 

So, what makes this discrete golf course so legendary that it inspired a $200 bottle of bourbon? Tradition. One that even resonated with Manning, who is a self-proclaimed beer drinker and does not pretend to be a connoisseur of bourbon, despite this new partnership.  

“This tradition was kind of going on and it just sort of started organically. Before people were doing their first golf shot at Sweetens Cove, they were doing a shot of whiskey on the first tee and leaving the bottle,” Manning says. The bottles would be left for other groups to enjoy or even the maintenance staff, and they began to pile up quickly through this pay-it-forward tradition.

With this pre-shot routine, the idea was born to create a bourbon that paid homage to the golf course that so many have fallen in love with. And while the tradition will surely live on at the golf course, those who purchase a bottle of Sweetens Cove will likely want to keep it for their personal bars rather than gift it to someone else after a few shots.

Photo Credit: From the Hip Photo

Photo Credit: From the Hip Photo

The first release in 2020 was a limited edition of about 14,000 bottles sourced from 100 barrels in Kentucky, and blended by Eaves. The 2021 release will be more accessible as it makes its way into other states, but it is still a premium product blended from bourbons aged 4, 6 and 16 years.

“My hope for Sweetens Cove, the ultra, hyper-premium product is that it creates a new experience every time you taste it,” Eaves says. “It’s layered, you know lots of nuances and complexities and hopefully you’re getting a little bit of everything that we love about bourbon. A lot of people talk about the pieces of the pie, the sweet aromatics, the fruit and floral, the oak characteristics, the grain characteristics, so I want all of those to be present in the product that we present.”

The high-quality, limited quantity bourbon is different from typical spirits endorsed by celebrities, making it nearly impossible for critics to write off.

“I thought football critics were tough, but bourbon critics are really tough,” Manning jokes. “The people that really know it seem to like it.”

Despite his dedication to drinking beer, it is clear that Manning is proud of this product. The former Tennessee Volunteer loves the parallel between the hidden treasure of Sweetens Cove Golf Club and Sweetens Cove bourbon, which isn’t mass-produced and requires some diligent searching to acquire. 

Jay McKinney is a Colorado native who recently graduated from Metro State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He loves spending time outdoors, playing golf and hiking.

In Spirits, Elevated Liquid, Beer
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