Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is such an unusual find.  The aroma and taste meld together in an extraordinary contradiction of flavor personality.  Those who consume this artisanal spirit with regularity speak of it with enthusiasm that rivals that of cult followings.  It’s just that good, different or remarkable, depending on how one perceives it.  Possibly it is the story behind the beginning of the brand combined with the flavor.  No matter.  Stranahan’s built whiskey from the ground up and continues to produce whiskey enthusiasts search for with vigor and hold in high regard.

Aroma: Maraschino cherry with barely there vanilla.  Perfumed.  Cotton candy sugar-ish like the sweetened lip gloss teenage girls use to wet their lips with for a perfectly polished shine.

Flavor: This is where Stranahan’s becomes exceedingly interesting.  It’s the ‘POW’ factor – the ‘WOW’ factor – the ‘What the heck was that?!’ factor.  Simply stated; Juicy Fruit gum sweet in the front with a beer chaser in the finish.  This is a built in Colorado Car Bomb without all the mixers.  The flavor is so bizarre one sip will never do.  Stranahan’s finishes long and hearty with distinct notes of dark, robust beer head.  Uncanny.  Beyond unusual.  Think along the lines of Western; straw, grasses, saddle and wool with underlying cereal grain.

Colorado Cherry – created by Cheri Loughlin

Colorado Cherry 3 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin1 ounce Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey

1/2 ounce Apricot Brandy

1/4 ounce Vanilla Liqueur

1/2 ounce Dubonnet Rouge

Maraschino Cherry Garnish if desired

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake or stir according to preference to chill. Strain into a small cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry if desired.

Ironically there is no cherry added to this concoction only the undertone of Stranahan’s itself, yet it flavors out distinctly cherry-ish with the ever present Stranahan ‘beer fizz’ on the back end.  Extremely peculiar in a rather captivating manner.

Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey sample for review courtesy representatives of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. 

Cheri Loughlin is a leading cocktail and photography resource for beverage companies, event planners, businesses and individuals. High resolution cocktail and beverage stock photography images are available in downloadable digital format in the newly redesigned Stock Photography Gallery at www.cheriloughlin.com.

Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon – str8upcocktails @ gmail.com – ©2012 Cheri Loughlin-The Intoxicologist, All Rights Reserved. All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin.

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