The We in I

I often write in the first person. I often talk in the first person. I will say something like “when I select the barrel…” or “I am proud to announce the release of ….”, but in reality it is not just me. I have a whole staff of dedicated and skilled people behind me that contribute to that barrel of whiskey. There was a time when it was just me and a copper still in a dingy warehouse on Blake street. Jessie would handle all the business end of things and I was left to focus on the whiskey. Times have changed, today Stranahan’s has 2 brewers, 4 distillers, a general manager, and a staff of tour guides and office workers that all pitch in to make this machine work. It is an amazing thing when your dream becomes a reality, and even more so when that dream grows bigger than you had ever anticipated. Today that dream spawned in a dusty one level warehouse in old downtown Denver has a life of its own that goes far beyond anything Jess or I had anticipated.

Last night I returned from Louisville Kentucky, Pete and I were out there inspecting our new whiskey stills at Vendome Copper Works. Vendome just completed 3 new custom stills for Stranahan’s. These new stills will allow us to increase our production by almost 3 fold, this is a very exciting advent in our evolution. It seems just like yesterday that Jessie and I set the first copper still in place, our plan was to make 3 barrels every 10 days. This past December Stranahan’s partnered with a larger company Proximo Spirits based out of New York city. It is their resources that have made this growth possible, and their expertise in management that will take us to the next level. As we grow the rolls of all the employees here at Stranahan’s will become more and more important. The dedication and skill of these craftsmen will be the fuel that will grow a once small dream in to an American legend. So if you ever catch me talking in the first person, correct me, and know that “I” is shorthand for “we”. There is no way I could make such a great whiskey with out the dedication and passion of an army. Heck I guess you are part of that “WE” now. After all it is you that has spread the word about our whiskey, it is you that has shared a glass with a friend to let them know how special our whiskey is. Thank you or sharing in our dream and helping Stranahan’s grow our business one friend at a time.

Cheers

Listening to: Townes Van Zandt – Heartworn Highway