Brewing Giant Molson Coors Taps Bardstown Bourbon Co. for Collaboration on 1st Whiskey

Molson Coors is expanding into the whiskey game with the release of its Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, created in partnership with Bardstown Bourbon Company. (Photo: Five Trail Whiskey)

Molson Coors, the brewing giant behind the famous Coors Light beer, announced the release of its first whiskey, Five Trail Blended American Whiskey, on Wednesday. Five Trail is available at select locations in Colorado, Georgia, Nevada and New York for a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Five Trail Blended American Whiskey was distilled, blended and bottled in collaboration with Bardstown Bourbon Company. The whiskey is a blend of Colorado single-malt whiskey and three bourbons, cut to 95 proof with Rocky Mountain water.

Many were skeptical when the news broke that Molson Coors would be making a whiskey, but according to a news release, an expansion into the whiskey world has been on David Coors’ to-do list for some 20 years. According to the release, David sampled more than100 whiskeys while researching before deciding on the final Five Trail product.

“I’ve been wanting to make a whiskey for a very long time now – and now that dream is finally a reality,” said David, who is the vice president of Next Generation Beverages at Molson Coors. “As soon as we established the Next Generation Beverages Division in 2019, I knew one of our first products had to be a whiskey. Malted grain is essential to whiskey’s production and there were a number of distillers that were already using our malts in their expressions. Consumers are open to experimenting now more than ever, so it seemed like the perfect time to foray into the world of brown spirits. We’re extremely proud of the blend we created, marrying Colorado provenance with the craft and skill of some of Kentucky’s and Indiana’s most renowned distillers, and I can’t wait for everyone to taste it!”

This is the first of what is sure to be many releases under the beer Goliath’s new whiskey company, Coors Whiskey Co.

Tasting notes:

Nose: A heady malt and tones of vanilla, with an ample overlay of sweet toffee and honey. Ginger and cayenne leap out of the glass and capture your attention, followed by an earthy cast of herbal sage and bay leaf.

Palate: Five Trail has a complex array of flavors with a lively balance of rich honey and frothy malt. Whispers of apple and pear peek through before the spicy ginger and cayenne reveal to create a warm and aromatic finish that is long and playful.

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