Stranahan’s Latest American Single Malt Whiskey Spent 3 Years in Red Wine Casks

(Photo: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey)

On Tuesday, Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey announced the release of a new American single malt: Stranahan’s Red Wine Cask.

The new release is a blend of four-year-old whiskeys featuring a finish of at least three years in ex-Bordeaux and ex-Pinot Noir casks, combining for a total age statement of seven years.

Bottled at 90 proof, Stranahan’s Red Wine Cask is available for $69.99 exclusively at the Stranahan’s distillery in Denver, Colorado.

Red Wine cask finishes are somewhat uncommon in the whiskey world, and they’re tough to do well, as the wine has a tendency to overpower the whiskey. There are certainly exceptions, such as Basil Hayden Red Wine Cask Finish, a solid whiskey whose finish is subtle.

It will be interesting to see the balance of wine vs. whiskey Stranahan’s go at a red wine finish, as three years is quite a long finishing period.

Stranahan’s is one of the U.S.’s preeminent single malt producers, however, and has shown a knack for making great whiskeys with unusual finishes.

Stranahan’s Red Wine Cask Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

Nose: Tarragon, lemon fresca, banana bread, vanilla wafer

Taste: White peach juice, peach cobbler, orange creamsicle

Finish: Round and fluffy like marshmallow, before a late linger of red wine dryness re-primes the palate superbly

In September, Stranahan’s released a distillery-exclusive single malt finished in rye whiskey casks.

In March, Stranahan’s released the 2023 edition of its Diamond Peak whiskey, finished in extra añejo tequila casks from José Cuervo’s Reserva de la Familia line.

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