This Colorado Distillery Won Big at World Whiskies Awards

Breckenridge Distillery, the world's highest distillery, recently added another award to its long list of honors, winning World’s Best Blended at the World Whiskies Awards for its Breckenridge 105 High Proof. The Whisky Magazine awards took place in London, where Breckenridge's entry competed against 1,500 other spirits from more than forty countries.

“The 105 proof is the perfect ABV for someone wanting to experience all the flavors of a high rye Bourbon at their perfect intensity, with the correct amount of water molecules spacing out each of those compounds,” says Bryan Nolt, Breckenridge Distillery founder and CEO.

“Consumers are starting to desire whiskeys with more flavor, complexity and mouthfeel than they’ve traditionally been presented,” he adds, noting that the high ABV also gives people a chance to experience what the distillers taste as they blend. In this case, the spirit has notes of rich, dark caramel and toasted almonds, burnt chocolate, dried orange peel and a lingering finish of vanilla and spice. Nolt also suggests slowly adding water to enhance the tasting experience.

This particular whiskey is blended versus single-barrel or vatted. “You can offer single-barrel products that will be a little different each time, or you can vat or blend multiple barrels together to have a homogenous mix and keep each product line consistent,” Nolt says.

Breckenridge Distillery’s liquid chef, Billie Keithley, who was chosen as the Icons of Whisky Bar Manager of the Year in 2021, suggests using the high-proof bourbon in a classic mint julep, made with raw simple syrup, mint leaves and crushed ice, garnished with mint and powdered sugar. The award is one of many for the mountain distillery, which was founded in 2008. Its Breckenridge Gin was named the World’s Best Compound Gin in 2021 at the World Gin Awards by Gin Magazine. It has also been named Colorado Distillery of the Year by the New York Spirits Competition four times; won the Icons of Whisky award for Brand Innovator of the Year in 2018; received a gold medal at the Sunset International Spirits Competition in 2021; and more.

At the distillery's tasting room in Breckenridge, the menu changes seasonally, with libations inspired by seasonal ingredients. The most popular cocktail currently on offer is the Obi-Wan Old Fashioned, which includes the distillery's Port Cask Finish Whiskey, a winner of the World Whiskies Awards Best American Blended in 2021.

Beyond racking up awards, the distillery is keeping busy with other projects. It recently teamed up with its friends and neighbors at Breckenridge Brewery for a unique barrel exchange. The brewery utilized the distillery’s barrels that once contained high rye whiskey to age its Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Once aged, the barrels were emptied and returned back to Breckenridge Distillery, which aged whiskey in them for ten to thirteen months. Because the two companies are located less than three miles apart, both were able to use freshly dumped barrels.
“We simultaneously released a whiskey and beer meant to be shared together with friends and family after a day on the slopes,” Nolt says. While whiskey barrel-aged beers are a popular style for craft beer enthusiasts, it is less common to see a whiskey that’s been aged in a beer barrel. Nolt adds that the Imperial Oatmeal Stout complements the whiskey and imparts cinnamon and oak on the nose, with a light background of chocolate and fresh orange zest, as well as caramel and chocolate on the palate, followed by dry, matured oak and cinnamon spice, and ending with a long, dry spicy finish.

The distillery is also the official bourbon of the Denver Broncos, for which it created two blends. Team Orange was created by former Broncos linebacker Karl Mecklenburg, and Team Blue was created by 2021 People’s Choice winner Jake Plummer along with head distiller Hans Stafsholt and Nolt. Each blend offers different flavors: The orange has burnt-orange marmalade, brandied raisin, cherry wood smoke, vanilla and rye notes, while the blue blend has creamy orange and orange blossom honey with oak and light white pepper spice.

For the past three years, Breckenridge Distillery's Collectors Art Series has been another successful program, in which it partners with local artists to create limited-release blends and art installations, which are used as inspiration for a custom label for each bourbon.

Breckenridge Distillery is located at 1925 Airport Road in Breckenridge and is open for tours and tastings. It also has an on-site restaurant with a rotating cocktail menu. For more information, visit breckenridgedistillery.com.