A Round of Bourbons

Yes, Kentucky - Colorado really does distill some of the best aged bourbons in America

The French have always insisted they make the world’s best cheeses and Italians passionately defend their pasta against all others’ noodles.

In the birthplace of American corn whiskey, Tennessee and Kentucky, folks are touchy about their bourbons from Jack Daniels to Pappy Van Winkle. They tended to dismiss whiskies from elsewhere with a comment: “Bless its heart” and a little pat on the bottle cap.

Then a funny thing started happening. New craft distilleries sprang up across the nation in the past two decades, many crafting bourbons that started winning prestigious spirits competitions over the usual suspects.

Bourbon is clearly having its day, and some of best examples of the beloved spirits are now being distilled and aged here in Colorado.

One nationally known bourbon expert is not surprised, especially since Colorado is home to more than 100 distilleries and the state is revered as the epicenter of the U.S. craft beer boom.

IT’S THE WATER ...AGAIN

In fact, the same critical ingredients in brewing also matter the most when making spirits, according to Tom Fischer of The Bourbon Blog.

“It’s the water. The water here really picks up beautiful minerality in the Colorado mountains that’s so fundamental to the flavor,” Fischer says, comparing it to the Appalachian aquifer tapped by distillers in his native Kentucky.

Fischer also attributes Colorado’s success to entrepreneurial zeal, a collaborative spirit among the state’s distillers, a commitment to sustainability and a focus on using locally grown grains.

The place itself also plays its part, he says. The low humidity and high altitude extract an extra generous “angels’ share” - the alcohol that evaporates through the wood of the aging barrels thereby concentrating the flavor.

By John Lehndorff

A former school teacher, Tom Fischer produced a documentary film on bourbon, and now leads tastings and judges whiskey competitions.

“I connected with Colorado early on, just as the craft distillery boom was starting here at places like Breckenridge Distillery,” Fischer says.

Busting The Bourbon Myths

Many of its fans don’t realize that “bourbon” is, by definition, a very different spirit than single malt Scotch and other whiskey relatives.

“To be bourbon, it just has to be made in the U.S.A using at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak barrels. It can really be aged for any period of time, but most are aged for at least two years,” Fischer says.

The “mash bill” for a whiskey describes the percentages and types of grains that are fermented.

“For bourbon, the other 49 percent of the mash bill can be wheat, or rye or other grains and they all change the flavor. Wheat will soften it. That’s what you taste in Maker’s Mark. Rye is going to give a little spice. Barley is going to pack it with a little bit more earthiness. I’ve seen everything from quinoa to many different variants and colors of corn,” he says.

For instance, Denver’s Block Distilling produces its Bottled in Bond Bourbon using yellow, red and blue corn, as well as millet and malted barley.

Bourbons That Sing Different Tunes

Tom Fischer’s favorite bourbons among the hundreds he has sampled are those that hold up over time and repeated tastings. “It’s always about coming back to a bottle and finding more. I don’t mind some spirits that sing the same song every time. For bourbon, I want to experience something new every time I taste it,” he says.

When it comes to Colorado, the bourbon expert has a hard time narrowing down his favorites.

“There are so many bourbons worth exploring in the state. I love what Laws is doing. Their fourgrain bourbon is beautiful. I think what Todd Leopold at Leopold Bros. has done is very special,” Fischer says.

He also praises the bourbons produced across the state by Distillery 291, Woody Creek, Peach Street, Golden Moon, and The Family Jones.

“I still enjoy Breckenridge a lot, especially the rum- and sherry cask-finished bourbons. They’re perfect with a nice cigar, or paired with some great cheeses,” he says.

Looking ahead, Tom Fischer points out that Colorado’s best bourbons may be yet to come. “Some of the oldest bourbons in the state were laid down in barrels a decade or more ago so they will become available in the coming years,” he says.