New Hungarian White Oak Snowflake Release

Posted: 03/10/10

When you go to bed in Colorado you never know what you will wake up to. It could have dumped big fat dry snow all night and there are 4 foot drifts up against your front door. There could be a light even dusting of fine snow like a few shakes from a flour sifter all over the landscape. You might wake up to a spring-like morning as I did this morning…I wore shorts to work! One thing for sure- whatever it is like outside, it wont last long. Today I announce the release of a very special SNOWFLAKE series Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. This snowflake is the single barrel #741 with additional maturation in a spent Hungarian white oak cask. Barrel #741 aged 2 years and 2 months in new American White oak, then transferred into a spent Hungarian white oak barrel that once to house a blended red wine form Sonoma Ca. The interplay of the American white oak and the Hungarian white oak is stunning. The red wine haunts the whiskey more than inhabits it. A truly remarkable whiskey, I will admit I have a crush on this whiskey. Now for the bad news, there is only 156 bottles of this gem. The Hungarian White Oak Cask Finish available only at the distillery for the price of $75, and like that light dusting of morning snow, when it is gone it is gone.

-Jake Norris

Tasting notes :

Nose, Neat: Rich and deep; a mellow and appetizing nose. Smooth citrus, more of a grapefruit. Damp ancient oak rafters; sitting on a hay bale in an antique barn, in the rain.

Palate, Neat: The most fleeting caramel before roasted malt swells to fill the senses; the vanilla is a welcome afterthought. Fabulous mouth feel.

Finish, neat: Again, smooth; long, and stately. This whiskey comes across as very old. Aged citrus, mellow and gentle. Chocolate on a shortbread cookie, or maybe a graham cracker.

Nose, Dilute: A mistiness opens up, the whiskey seems to age. Creamed corn. Smells like one could could take a nice big bite of this whiskey. Underneath the wet grain, a hidden chocolate note…

Palate, Dilute: glorious mouth feel, and the chocolate comes out of hiding! The mouth feel and chocolate together remind me of chocolate pudding. This boggles..!

Finish, Dilute: Orange/chocolate. Touch of vanilla. Long, and wet. Gooey almost.

Listening to: Robert Johnson