Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey has introduced Mountain Angel 10 Year Old – the brand’s oldest, rarest release and first 10 year old American single malt. The new offering from the Colorado distillery sees the brands pushing the boundaries of American single malt Whiskeys, delivering a unique expression that elevates the entire category.
Mountain Angel 10 Year Old is comprised of 100% Rocky Mountain barley and Colorado spring water, made in small batches before aging for 10 years in new American oak barrels with a #3 char. By using new American oak barrels, Stranahan’s is able to balance the flavors of Mountain Angel 10 Year Old’s malt distillate and oak barrels, without outside influences.
As a result of Denver’s high altitude and dry climate, the Whiskey saw a unique angel’s share loss, with several of the 10-year barrels experiencing a loss of up to 80%. This extreme amount of evaporation imparted the remaining whiskey with a heavily concentrated oak flavor profile and silky mouthfeel. Only a handful of the volume-reduced barrels made it to a decade of maturation, and as a result Mountain Angel 10 Year Old is available in very limited quantities with less than 500 bottles hitting the market this year.
“Stranahan’s has produced single malt whiskeys for almost 20 years, allowing us to hold back casks for extended maturation to see how they evolve, but aging whiskey in Denver comes with certain challenges,” said Owen Martin, Head Distiller at Stranahan’s. “Water evaporates from our casks more quickly in the mountains than at sea level, which leaves limited supply and little margin for error. After a decade of maturation, the Mountain Angel 10 Year Old casks saw an average angel’s share loss on par with a Scotch over twice its age, resulting in a liquid with a stunning concentration of flavor.”
Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10 Year Old has already won a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
On the nose, aromas of candied apples and spicy pipe tobacco appear alongside heavy oiled leather notes. A velvety mouthfeel presents even richer tobacco on the palate and a lingering pepper character. These fade into ultra-dark chocolate and molasses, as the massive charred oak character takes over. The finish is long and silky with more oak and hints of dark caramel and earthy spearmint
The Whiskey is bottled at 47.3% ABV and available in highly limited quantities for $129.99 at select fine retailers in Colorado, California and New York. In addition, it is available as part of a weekly tasting experience at Stranahan’s Denver distillery, located at 200 S. Kalamath.