They're positioning Little Wolf as the world’s first American single malt whiskey bar, though the selection will not be exclusive to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's newest designation.
Little Wolf is the brainchild of Jonathan Odde and Clarke Boyer, who have traveled in the same whiskey circles for years. Odde and his sister own the Burns Pub & Restaurant and the Hilltop Inn, both in Broomfield, while Boyer has been a distiller at Stranahan’s, an ambassador for the Scotch brands Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, and a whiskey educator.
“One thing led to another, and Johnny wanted to open another spot," Boyer recalls. "He said, ‘Hey, would you be interested in working together?’ I said, ‘Heck, yeah.’”
They started looking around for a space and tried to meet for lunch at Cafe Brazil, but it was closed that day. They chatted with the owner, and it turned out that he was looking to move on. They considered continuing the restaurant as it was, but ultimately ended up going with a focus on American single malt whiskey because they’re both single-malt lovers.
Odde says it was a happy coincidence that their choice in direction coincided with the TTB’s January ruling that created the American single malt whiskey designation; he'd been keeping tabs on the category's progress.
“We both have a strong affinity to single malt scotch and single malt in general. Worldwide, it’s the preferred whiskey of choice,” Odde notes. “There’s some great distilleries from around the world, and it’s weird that it’s taken as long as it has to reach the States. I've been a big supporter at the Burns Pub before the TTB, actually.”
“It's not very often you get to be the first of anything in the world," Boyer adds, "and the idea of doing an American single malt bar is pretty interesting. We do really enjoy the category now that it's actually official and something that you can sink your teeth into and really promote, and I think it is going to be a big category moving forward.
“Given the size of the country and climactic conditions we have, and cultural interests, all this stuff, it's just a really good platform for us to build off of for the rest of the program," he continues.
Jonathan Odde and Clarke Boyer describe the feel at Little Wolf as eclectic mid-century modern.
Photo by Gabe Toth
“It’s not going to be 600 whiskeys, but it is going to be the largest American single malt collection. Plus, we'll have some excellent, very esoteric other whiskeys as well other types of Scotches and bourbons and ryes that we think will fit well with the program.”
According to Boyer, the partners will focus on both the collection and the educational access that they've both developed. “The contacts that Johnny and I have in the industry, we can really bring distillers and makers in and have them conduct educational events and drive that educational focus here,” he says.
Part of the educational piece is about creating a fun environment — more curated DJ nights and a memorable vibe, less stuffy whiskey bar with barrel heads on the walls.
“We didn’t want to go with the formulaic cookie-cutter whiskey bar route. We both love this mid-century modern vibe, so we built it off mid-century, but it's like an eclectic, vintage, mid-century modern kind of look,” Boyer says.
Odde agrees. "I feel like educational whiskey bar is best served with fun. You've gotta have fun doing it,” he adds. “People are much more receptive to learning and stuff like that if it's a fun environment and people are enjoying themselves.”
Little Wolf will also feature a strong rum selection, a wide variety of agave spirits, and a general lean towards esoteric spirits and wines. Part of the experience they’re curating will also be the food selection — what Boyer calls “worldly comfort food” — that comes with pairing recommendations for the drinks side.
“Everything we do in the kitchen's gonna be geared towards pairing with our beverage program. We're excited about that," Odde says. “It's going to be some great food, and the pairings will be listed on the menu.”
The menu will run the gamut, from salads and vegetarian jackfruit bao buns to charcuterie, steak, a Cuban sandwich and an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Brazilian X-tudo burger as an homage to the space’s longtime resident.
“It's a little bit of an eclectic menu, but then again, it is focused on pairing," Odde says. "And American tastes are eclectic.”
Little Wolf will have a soft opening Memorial Day weekend and will open officially on Tuesday, May 27, at 4408 Lowell Boulevard; find more information at littlewolfdenver.com.
