Colorado Straight Bourbon Review
Colorado Straight Bourbon is made by Peach Street Distillers, out of Palisade, Colorado. Peach Street Distillers boasts of being “artisan experimenters” and “fearless craftsmen” located in a “secluded mecca perfect for growing the finest fruits and grains on the planet.”
Catherine Stelzer is our guest blogger today with her Colorado Straight Bourbon review. As with our other Help Wanted applicants we ask that you share your thoughts on her post in the comments as well as online where you can find Catherine at @catrenzer or @catrenzer.
Colorado Straight Bourbon is made by Peach Street Distillers, out of Palisade, Colorado. Where is that you ask? Just outside of Grand Junction in the Colorado high country, closer to Utah than to Denver. Peach Street Distillers boasts of being “artisan experimenters” and “fearless craftsmen” located in a “secluded mecca perfect for growing the finest fruits and grains on the planet.” These artisans also take pride in their ingredients being local, meaning “our stuff gets carted over each morning on a forklift.” Additionally, the distillery advertises this bourbon as Colorado’s first legal bourbon, being aged just over two years.
This bourbon recipe is 60% corn, 20% rye, and 20% two row malted barley. The grains are fermented in open air barrels. Another source of pride is using the sweet corn of Olathe, which they claim is legendary (I have not heard the legends, but a little research finds that there is an Olathe sweet corn festival in the region).
The bottles are both simple and beautiful, and scream of crafty artisanal. Small batches are 200 bottles at a time, and are hand numbered on the bottle. This particular bottle being sampled was batch number 56, bottle 168, from 2014. Pretty bottles are nice for the liquor shelf, but unless the bourbon is good, I’d rather not waste the space.
Researching the Peach Street Distillers website and admiring the beauty of the bottle, I have to admit that I had high expectations for this bourbon. Luckily, I was not disappointed. The aroma on the nose is a mixture of vanilla and cinnamon. Strong vanilla notes hit the tongue, without being overtly sweet, followed by a bit of burn which dissipates quickly. There is a nice balance between spicy and sweet, which surprised me since this was made with sweet corn. I would highly recommend letting this bourbon open for five to ten minutes before drinking.
Now for the downside, the price. This bourbon sells for $53.99 on the website linked to their site, which also happens to be sold out. For just under $54, you could buy a bourbon which has been aged longer and is a bigger name brand. At the same time, it appears you are buying small batches with home grown ingredients, which likely is the reason for the higher price point. This bourbon can be found in liquor stores in Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey.
BOTTLE DETAILS
Name: Colorado Straight Bourbon
Proof: 92 proof / 46% ABV
Age: More than 2 years
Year: 2014
CATHERINE'S NOTES
How I Drank It: Neat first, followed by on the rocks. I personally prefer my bourbon with a touch of water or on the rocks, but this bourbon was lovely both ways.
Nose: Vanilla and Cinnamon with a slight touch of wood.
Taste: A nice balance between spice and vanilla (not too sweet).
The Burn: A touch of burn in the middle, which dissipates quickly.
Neat, Splash or Rocks: Neat – more burn is noticeable. Rocks – is a bit smoother with more emphasis on the vanilla notes.
Share With: Since this bourbon is not readily available in many states, I would share it with others truly enjoy bourbon.
Worth The Price: This bottle was a gift from a friend living in Colorado, so I didn’t actually pay for the bottle. The price is a bit high, but the quality is good. This is a great bottle for a gift or special occasion. The cost would prohibit me from buying it on a regular basis.
Bottle, Bar or Bust: If you are able to find it at a bar, try it out before investing the money. Myself, I have enjoyed the bottle.