Colorado Distilleries Strike Double-Gold At SFWSC
Colorado has been producing spirits for decades. However, they’ve recently become a mecca for whiskey enthusiasts. The quality of these spirits has become undeniably apparent in the spirits community. And, if you needed further convincing, Colorado distilleries have been collection awards like they’re going out of style.
In the most recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Colorado took home over 50 metals. Of those, 15 were Gold, and eight were Double-Gold.
These aren’t small wins. Many people think of Kentucky as being the stand-alone champion of whiskey. However, we’re starting to see that stigma break as new distilleries learn to harness the unique characteristics of their states to produce hyper-premium spirits.
Trailblazers in Colorado
Let’s take a moment here to congratulate those who received metals:
Double Gold Winners:
Laws Whiskey House – Centennial Wheat, San Luis Valley Rye, and Bonded Four Grain Bourbon
Boulder Spirits – American Single Malt Whiskey, Straight Bourbon
Old Elk – Double Wheat Whiskey
Breckenridge – PX Sherry Cask Finished Whiskey, Gin
Stranahan’s – Mountain Angel 10 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey
Branch & Barrel Distillery: Flagship Bourbon
Gold Winners:
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. – Brandy
Talnua Distillery – Olde Saint’s Keep 2022 Special Release Whiskey
Stranahan’s – Diamond Peak 8-Year-Old Single Malt Whiskey, Blue Peak Single Malt Whiskey, Sherry Cask Single Malt Whiskey, Original Single Malt Whiskey
Breckenridge – Port Cask Finish Whiskey
Colorado Mountain – Bourbon, Citra Gin
Old Elk – Infinity Blend Whiskey, Double Wheat Whiskey
Laws Whiskey House – Henry Road Single Malt Whiskey
291 – Bad Guy Colorado Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Aspen Staves
Locke & Co. Distilling – Aspen Aged Rye Whiskey
Hogback – Wallace Collection Malt Whisky
First Stake – Cask Strength Bourbon
Silver Winners:
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. | Talnua | 291 | Breckenridge | Colorado Mountain | Whiskeysmith Co. | 3 Hundred Days of Shine | Nooku | Elevation 5003 | The Heart Distillery | Leopold Bros. | Red Eye Louis
Bronze Winners:
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. | Breckenridge | 3 Hundred Days of Shine | Gun Fighter
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Greg Sinadinos started his spirits journey writing a whiskey periodical for Fine Tobacco NYC Magazine. He began answering review requests under a social media page he named “Whiskey Culture,” which quickly merged with Greg’s passion for connecting with others and his interest in history.
Today, Greg travels the country not just looking for great whiskey, but also exploring the history and individuals that the whiskey community is founded upon. He has authored “Whiskey History From Around The World” and is the host of “The Rickhouse” web series.
