10th Mountain: A Tale of Three Grains

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. understands just what goes into forming a vision and bringing it to life. From starting a Colorado Whiskey company in a fiercely competitive market to choosing from an endless combination of grains, they have achieved something few do. And, they do it all while giving back to Veterans and their community. While they produce multiple spirits at the distillery in Gypsum, CO, their whiskey line consists of Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Moonshine, and American Single Malt.

But let’s hone in on the grains for a moment.

Over 20% of a whiskey’s flavor is directly tied to the combination of grains used in a particular mash bill (the recipe used for the whiskey). While that may not seem like a lot on the surface, think about food for a moment. If you went to the grocery store, bought a carton of berries, and came home to discover 20% of those berries were moldy, would you eat the rest? I’d hope not!

So, while it numerically comprises a minority of the flavor profile, it’s still crucial to the overall profile of the whiskey.

10th Mountain tried many variations of grains in their early distilling days (many local to Colorado). They were sifting through dozens and dozens of grains to find the ones that comprised the combination of profile, yield, and body they envisioned.

For example, when it came to the rye, they found that the further north the crops grew, the more the profile held that earthy and spiced profile they were looking for. They considered Canadian Rye but decided they wanted to stay with all American-grown grains and found that their perfect rye came from the naturally loamy fertile soils of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

The malted barley was quickly narrowed down to Wisconsin, bringing a more mild flavor while maintaining a solid body and presence.

The corn was another story entirely.

After trying countless types of corn, even the famous Olathe Sweet Corn grown on the western side of Colorado, they narrowed in on corn grown by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in southwestern Colorado.

Bow & Arrow has consistently produced delicious Non-GMO, sustainable, number 2 yellow dent corn since 1962. With over 7000 acres of land, their farm and ranch produced enough corn at the quality 10th Mountain was looking for to create a lasting partnership.

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company’s quest for the perfect grains tells a tale about how they aren’t willing to compromise on their vision for convenience and have the tenacity to make their dream a reality. And, above all, they take their Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Moonshine, and American Single Malt Whiskey very seriously.

If you have the opportunity, check out their website or Instagram account (https://10thwhiskey.com or https://www.instagram.com/10thmtnwhiskey). If your local retailer doesn’t carry them, you can make a request or see if they direct ship to your state.