Stranahan’s 12 Year Old Founder's Release

The Stranahan’s 12 Year Old Founder’s Release offers a powerful and nuanced tasting experience, highlighting the impact of extended aging and innovative barrel finishing in a high-proof American single malt. Tasting Notes: Nose: The aroma is rich and layered, beginning with toasted oak, molasses, and dark chocolate. Hints of dried fig, vanilla bean, and roasted coffee rise through the warmth, offering depth and intrigue. Palate: On the palate, this whiskey delivers bold flavors of toffee, nutmeg, and burnt orange, complemented by a malty richness and notes of black tea, charred oak, and honeyed grains. The high proof provides a warm, full-bodied mouthfeel that carries complex waves of spice and malt sweetness. Finish: The finish is long, warming, and intense, leaving behind notes of smoked cocoa, cinnamon bark, and a faint touch of hop bitterness from the blonde ale cask, all fading slowly into a toasted marshmallow and oak-laced finale. This Founder’s Release is a celebration of Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey heritage—robust, elegant, and crafted for seasoned drinkers who appreciate strength, structure, and complexity in every sip.

Stranahan’s 12 Year Old Founder’s Release is a special edition American single malt produced at the Stranahan’s Distillery in Denver, Colorado. Known for pioneering American single malt whiskey, Stranahan’s applies a meticulous, hands-on approach to whiskey-making that combines traditional techniques with Colorado-inspired innovation.

Distillery Practices

At Stranahan’s, the production process focuses on purity, time, and flavor development through elevated aging and finishing methods:

Mash Bill: Made from 100% malted barley, primarily grown in the U.S., delivering a rich grain foundation and malty complexity.

Distillation: Distilled in small batches using copper pot stills, a method known for producing full-bodied, flavorful spirits with character and depth.

Aging: The whiskey is aged for 12 years in new American white oak barrels, allowing it to develop concentrated notes of oak, spice, and dark sweetness over time.

Finishing: After the primary aging, a portion of the whiskey is finished in barrels that previously held bourbon and blonde ale. This finishing step adds subtle layers of malt, vanilla, hop, and caramel notes unique to this Founder’s Release.

Proofing & Bottling: Bottled at cask strength (120 proof / 60% ABV), non-chill filtered to preserve texture, mouthfeel, and natural oils.

Distillery Information

Distillery Name: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey

Location: Denver, Colorado, USA

Whiskey Type: American Single Malt

Mash Bill: 100% malted barley

Still Type: Copper pot still

Barrel Type: New American white oak; secondary finishing in bourbon & blonde ale barrels

Aging: 12 years minimum

ABV: 60% (120 proof)

Filtration: Non-chill filtered

Release Type: Limited, commemorative annual release

Size: 750 mL

Proof: 60%
*Please note that the ABV may vary