Important distinctions or requirements set bourbon apart from whiskey, even American whiskey. Bourbon can only be made in the United States. Also, a minimum of 51% of the mash must be corn, the mash needs to be barreled at or below 125 proof and distilled to no more than 160 proof. Additionally, bourbon must be aged in virgin, charred, white-oak barrels and can’t have any additional coloring, flavoring, or additives. Furthermore, it must be bottled at a minimum of 80 proof. All of these rules ensure quality, and they also ensure a similar and consistent taste and when it comes to domestic spirits, bourbon is just about as American as it gets!
Where It All Began – Bourbon County Kentucky
The name “Bourbon” refers to and includes a variety of American whiskies with different mash bills, such as those that contain small percentages of barley, wheat or rye, but also contain the necessary 51% corn. The rationale behind the name is often debated, but the most well-known legend revolves upon an early Kentucky distiller in Bourbon County who made the decision to specify the origin of his goods. Early settlers from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, and France arrived in Kentucky in the late 1700s, marking the beginning of the state’s bourbon whiskey heritage.
Colorado Gold – Our Blended American Whiskey
“American whiskey” is the style for any US-made whiskey that doesn’t meet the requirements to be called something like bourbon or rye whiskey. Our Colorado Gold is called American Whiskey, because it’s aged in barrels that have previously held bourbon. Bourbon, by definition, is aged in only new American oak barrels. However, for our Colorado Gold, our Master Blender carefully selected his favorite second use barrels from our collection and filled these with our award winning 4-Year Flagship Bourbon! The end result is an 80 proof blend that is a smooth, easy drinking, no frills expression with a wonderfully unique flavor profile! We get notes of caramel candy, Macadamia nut, fresh red cherry, apricot, plum, red velvet cake, oak wood, fresh soil, and white flowers, it’s amazing!
About Our Flagship Bourbon
This is no wonder really, since it’s made using our Flagship Bourbon. Our Flagship Bourbon has won numerous gold medals in international spirit competitions! It has a satisfying body with exceptionally smooth character at a nice and very approachable 92 proof! Our cooperage uses a #3 Char and Medium Toast on our barrels, creating a beautiful backbone of caramel, vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted oak flavors in the finished whiskey. With a minor amount of small batch variation, you can expect additional notes and aromas of candied orange peel, black cherry, baking spices, chocolate, green apple, and sandalwood.
The Dance – Whiskey & Barrel
Barrels are more than just containers for storing whiskey; through their interaction with the spirit, they actively aid in its aging. Because wood is porous, the flavors of the barrel can gradually seep into the whiskey by allowing it to breathe. In addition, the whiskey is mellowed and impurities are removed by the charred interior of the barrel, which serves as a filter. Whiskey gets its unique character and complexity from this delicate dance between the whiskey and the barrel. So just imagine the additional flavor notes pulled from our “select” second-use barrels during the aging of our Colorado Gold!
Colorado Proud
Whether you’re enjoying a dram of our Flagship Bourbon or our Colorado Gold American Whiskey, you can rest assured that you are drinking the best damn whiskey in Colorado! Branch & Barrel’s award-winning Flagship Bourbon, and by default our Colorado Gold, features two wonderful Colorado grains: Corn & Barley. By utilizing a higher corn recipe, we’re able to create a smooth, sweet, and incredibly drinkable whiskey that showcases all the amazing character imparted by the barrel. It also supports Colorado farmers! Our corn comes from Wiggins, our Barley comes from Monte Vista, and we pull our mineral-rich water from our own wells out on the plains. This has historically been the mashbill for the majority of our releases, but we are now incorporating Rye and Wheat in an effort to bring even more Colorado goodness to your glass.
Drop by Branch & Barrel Distillery soon to indulge in a curated Colorado Whiskey flight, featuring a selection of our finest, locally crafted, award winning bourbon and whiskeys. Also enjoy all our one-of-a-kind creations, amazing cocktails and limited releases available ONLY at our Tasting Room!