Review: How Good Is Coors’ New 8-Year-Old Whiskey?

(Photo: Coors Whiskey Co.)

Coors has been malting barley for nearly 150 years — long before it became one of America’s most recognizable beer brands, and even longer before anyone thought to ask what might happen if that malting expertise found its way into a whiskey bottle. The answer to that question, as it turns out, is pretty impressive.

Released in June, Coors Whiskey Co. Blended American Malt Whiskey Aged 8 Years is a limited drop of just 1,200 individually numbered bottles, distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky using Coors’ proprietary malt and Colorado-grown barley. It’s bottled at 110.5 proof (55.25% ABV) and retails for $79.99, with availability currently limited to Colorado and Illinois.

How Good Is Coors’ New Whiskey?

This 8-year blended malt isn’t Coors’ first whiskey, but it is the beer giant’s best yet.

The nose is bright and immediately engaging — big funky malt character, orange pulp, plum, blackberry, balsamic, gingerbread, white pepper and roasty coffee.

The palate is super malty with a nice mouthfeel: sassafras, balsamic, blackberry jam, tobacco, leather, anise, clove, dark chocolate and a sharp bite of tannin from those eight years of aging. The finish leads with a wave of spice — cinnamon, pepper, powdered ginger, anise, sassafras and an odd but not unwelcome touch of cilantro — before moving into dark chocolate and coffee.

Throughout my tasting, I was consistently reminded of a Stranahan’s malt, which is high praise, as Stranahan’s is one of the top single malt producers in America. Perhaps there’s something about that Colorado malt.

For the complete tasting notes and score, click here to check out our full review.

At $79.99 for an 8-year-old, 110-proof malt whiskey, this is a good whiskey priced at a solid value. The International Wine & Spirit Competition agreed, awarding it 98 points and Gold Outstanding recognition ahead of launch. With only 1,200 bottles in existence and distribution limited to two states for now, tracking one down will take some effort. If you’re in Colorado or Illinois, don’t sleep on it.