This New American Single Malt Was Aged in Jose Cuervo Tequila Barrels

Jonah Flicker
·2 min read

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It looks like Denver’s Stranahan’s distillery is making the most of having a corporate drinks daddy like Proximo Spirits, the company that owns major brands like Jose Cuervo and Bushmills. Over the past few years this has led to some very synergistic cask finishes, the latest of which is the new Diamond Peak whiskey which is finished in Cuervo tequila barrels.

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Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey was founded in 2004 and first released its whiskey two years later, making it one of the OG producers of American single malt (a category that is poised to finally get its own legal definition). The whiskey is made from a mashbill of 100 percent malted barley and matured in a variety of barrel types, mostly new charred American oak with a other casks used for secondary maturation. In 2022, the Diamond Peak range was reintroduced to the lineup as a series of whiskeys that will highlight different cask finishes selected by head distiller Owen Martin. Bushmills Irish Cask was the first, a four-year-old whiskey that spent an additional three years in single malt casks from that Irish distillery.

Last summer, a version of this new Diamond Peak expression was released as a distillery exclusive, a six to nine-year-old single malt aged in Cuervo casks for up to two and a half years. This new whiskey is an extension of that one, and the details vary a bit. Diamond Peak Batch #2 is a blend of whiskey aged from five to eight years that was initially aged in char #3 virgin American oak barrels. The whiskey was then put into casks that were used to age Jose Cuervo Reserva de Familia Extra Anejo Tequila for another two years. The extra anejo designation means that the tequila was aged for a minimum of three years, so these barrels were well seasoned before being filled with whiskey for this lengthy finishing period. We have not had a chance to sample the new Diamond Peak yet, but official tasting notes describe a peppery and floral nose, herbs and salted caramel on the palate and a creamy, malty finish with some agave character.

Right now, Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Batch #2 (SRP $80) is available to purchase from the distillery and select Colorado retailers, but will roll out nationally in the coming weeks across the rest of the country. In the meantime, you can check out the rest of the Stranahan’s single malt lineup at ReserveBar, including the Bushmills Cask Finish release.

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