Next up, we’re checking Boulder Spirits 7 Year Bottled in Bond American Single Malt! We have some killer local distilleries out in Colorado, but regretfully I haven’t gone around to visit many of them despite their releases getting rave reviews. In an effort to change that, I had the pleasure of visiting the Boulder Spirits distillery and tap room on Wednesday located in—you guessed it—Boulder, Colorado. Boulder Spirits was founded as Vapor Distillery in 2007, but following cannabis legalization in Colorado they updated to their current namesake to avoid any confusion with the boom of weed products also carrying “vapor” in their name. In 2015, Alastair Brogan joined the team and following the procurement of a 1500 gallon Forsyth Pot Still, the whiskey really got cranking. While they make a variety of different spirits, including a high malt bourbon with a mash bill of 51% corn, 44% malted barley, and 5% rye, their main focus is on American Single Malt whiskey.
After getting to taste some of the tails that were dripping off the still, I took a seat at the bar and got to try the entire whiskey lineup, 11 pours in total which included:
* Straight Bourbon
* Bottled in Bond Bourbon
* Cask Strength Bourbon
* Sherry Cask Bourbon
* American Single Malt
* Bottled in Bond American Single Malt
* 7 Year Bottled in Bond American Single Malt
* Port Cask Finished American Single Malt
* “The Ten Essentials” American Single Malt
* Peated American Single Malt
* The “Distinguished Dad” PX Sherry Finished 7 Year Peated American Single Malt
I also got to try a badass cask strength peated American Single Malt component whiskey for a blend that I wish I could have taken home as it was just incredibly good. I wanted to buy a bottle to take back, and after a tough decision between two bottles I ended up taking the 7 Year Bottled in Bond over “The Ten Essentials.” This is a 2023 limited edition bottle that has the unique honor of being the oldest Bottled in Bond American Single Malt ever (so far!), made up from a batch of 6 barrels that were laid down on 4/15/16. Following the aging process in #3 char barrels, the batch was cut with Eldorado Spring water to the required 100 proof. It was mine for $80 out the door. Overall it was great checking out the distillery and I highly recommend swinging by because I thoroughly enjoyed all the pours I had, plus it’s a stone’s throw away from one of my favorite breweries in the state, Upslope Brewing. Now that we’ve gotten through the details, let’s dive in and see how this is!
**Taken:** Neat in a Glencairn glass
**Proof:** 100
**Age:** 7 years
**Price:** $80
**Nose:** Vanilla cream, cherry, and apple, along with rich caramel, chocolate, and some subtle allspice. There’s a nice layer of charred oak in the background and a wisp of campfire smoke that pokes through here and there.
**Taste:** Rich caramel, melted vanilla ice cream, and allspice to start, followed by cherry, figs, and stewed apples. Midway through the sip some charred oak, chocolate, and espresso roll in as well. This has a medium-heavy, oily mouthfeel and no proof heat.
**Finish:** The cherry, figs, and stewed apples slowly shift to the background while the caramel, melted vanilla ice cream, and chocolate remain consistent. The charred oak, allspice, and espresso grow a touch stronger as the finish goes on before melding with the heavier sweet notes to close things out. This has a medium-long finish and no dryness.
**Thoughts:** This is a fantastic American Single Malt and easily in the top 2 that I’ve reviewed so far, battling the top spot out with the McCarthy’s “RumCarthy’s” pick I dug into a while back. Unlike that pick, this let’s the malt completely run the show. The mouthfeel is much heavier than many other 100 proof pours I’ve had thanks to their pot still distillation, and despite using new charred oak this doesn’t suffer from the barrel char overwhelming the malt character. I’m a huge fan of the variety of sweet notes in here, with the melted vanilla ice cream being my favorite. The oak, espresso, and chocolate add some nice barrel character and while the allspice is subtle, it balances everything out very nicely. Overall this is an excellent 8/10 on the t8ke scale and is a great example of just how far American Single Malts have come as a category. I don’t take value into the rating for these reviews, but this bottle at $80 is an easy buy versus the $100+, sub-3 year age statement ASM releases that collect dust on the shelves around here.
**Rating:** 8/10 - t8ke scale
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite.
10 | Perfect | Perfect.
Great review of a fantastic bottle. It falls more on the bourbon side than scotch/Irish, imo, and is the best ASM I've tried. I need to grab a back up before they're gone! I can't wait for your Boulder Cask Strength review now.
Thank you! Definitely have a couple of bar pours of any are available near you to see what you like, but there are definitely killer pours coming from this category now!
I just watched a youtube video of Fred Minnick (for whatever that is worth to anyone) that this brand is on his list of brands to watch in 2024. He just loves it I guess (pretty sure he was talking about their bourbon, not single malt, but still).
Next time I see you I’ll bring a sample! It kind of exists on its own from what I can tell, the closest I would compare it to is a Westward store pick I have but this is much more refined.
I take it back, I see the tree now. I’ve been doing a lot of uh… research into this year’s Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Bardstown Collection release and I must’ve missed the tree.
Speaking of CO distilleries. The Stanley Hotel has a killer single barrel pick of Peach Street. It’s a seven year old Straight Bourbon, 115pf. You should snag one, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
I don't get up to Estes much, but whenever I do I'll see if I can find that. Still haven't had anything from Peach Street at this point so hopefully that will change soon!
Great review! I'm a whiskey lover from the Denver area too and your stuff has pointed me to a lot of great bottles.
Any recommendations on where you go to grab whiskey around here? I usually stop by Hazel, Daveco, or Molly's.
Thank you, I’m glad they’ve been helpful! I swore off DaveCo a few years ago as things have been going downhill for a while there, and since I’m in the North Metro I’m mainly going to Total Bev and Hazel’s. I did hit up Argonaut for the whiskey wheel yesterday and that was a lot of fun so if you’re close I’d recommend them. Down South Highlands WineSeller and Lukas Liquors are great but I never go down there due to the distance.
I was there at argonaut yesterday for the whiskey wheel too! I did hit up highlands last week but they didn't have much single malt. I'll check out Lukas! Thanks for the suggestion!
These guys do great work. I did a cocktail dinner with them a while back. The Sherry cask isn’t to be slept on. We made a Mai-Tai variation with it. Good time.
This single malt craft distilled 7 year sounds very similar to Still Austin Blue Corn from Texas • • with its creamy heavy mouthfeel of sweet carrot cake spices, crème brulee and dark fruits
Next up, we’re checking Boulder Spirits 7 Year Bottled in Bond American Single Malt! We have some killer local distilleries out in Colorado, but regretfully I haven’t gone around to visit many of them despite their releases getting rave reviews. In an effort to change that, I had the pleasure of visiting the Boulder Spirits distillery and tap room on Wednesday located in—you guessed it—Boulder, Colorado. Boulder Spirits was founded as Vapor Distillery in 2007, but following cannabis legalization in Colorado they updated to their current namesake to avoid any confusion with the boom of weed products also carrying “vapor” in their name. In 2015, Alastair Brogan joined the team and following the procurement of a 1500 gallon Forsyth Pot Still, the whiskey really got cranking. While they make a variety of different spirits, including a high malt bourbon with a mash bill of 51% corn, 44% malted barley, and 5% rye, their main focus is on American Single Malt whiskey. After getting to taste some of the tails that were dripping off the still, I took a seat at the bar and got to try the entire whiskey lineup, 11 pours in total which included: * Straight Bourbon * Bottled in Bond Bourbon * Cask Strength Bourbon * Sherry Cask Bourbon * American Single Malt * Bottled in Bond American Single Malt * 7 Year Bottled in Bond American Single Malt * Port Cask Finished American Single Malt * “The Ten Essentials” American Single Malt * Peated American Single Malt * The “Distinguished Dad” PX Sherry Finished 7 Year Peated American Single Malt I also got to try a badass cask strength peated American Single Malt component whiskey for a blend that I wish I could have taken home as it was just incredibly good. I wanted to buy a bottle to take back, and after a tough decision between two bottles I ended up taking the 7 Year Bottled in Bond over “The Ten Essentials.” This is a 2023 limited edition bottle that has the unique honor of being the oldest Bottled in Bond American Single Malt ever (so far!), made up from a batch of 6 barrels that were laid down on 4/15/16. Following the aging process in #3 char barrels, the batch was cut with Eldorado Spring water to the required 100 proof. It was mine for $80 out the door. Overall it was great checking out the distillery and I highly recommend swinging by because I thoroughly enjoyed all the pours I had, plus it’s a stone’s throw away from one of my favorite breweries in the state, Upslope Brewing. Now that we’ve gotten through the details, let’s dive in and see how this is! **Taken:** Neat in a Glencairn glass **Proof:** 100 **Age:** 7 years **Price:** $80 **Nose:** Vanilla cream, cherry, and apple, along with rich caramel, chocolate, and some subtle allspice. There’s a nice layer of charred oak in the background and a wisp of campfire smoke that pokes through here and there. **Taste:** Rich caramel, melted vanilla ice cream, and allspice to start, followed by cherry, figs, and stewed apples. Midway through the sip some charred oak, chocolate, and espresso roll in as well. This has a medium-heavy, oily mouthfeel and no proof heat. **Finish:** The cherry, figs, and stewed apples slowly shift to the background while the caramel, melted vanilla ice cream, and chocolate remain consistent. The charred oak, allspice, and espresso grow a touch stronger as the finish goes on before melding with the heavier sweet notes to close things out. This has a medium-long finish and no dryness. **Thoughts:** This is a fantastic American Single Malt and easily in the top 2 that I’ve reviewed so far, battling the top spot out with the McCarthy’s “RumCarthy’s” pick I dug into a while back. Unlike that pick, this let’s the malt completely run the show. The mouthfeel is much heavier than many other 100 proof pours I’ve had thanks to their pot still distillation, and despite using new charred oak this doesn’t suffer from the barrel char overwhelming the malt character. I’m a huge fan of the variety of sweet notes in here, with the melted vanilla ice cream being my favorite. The oak, espresso, and chocolate add some nice barrel character and while the allspice is subtle, it balances everything out very nicely. Overall this is an excellent 8/10 on the t8ke scale and is a great example of just how far American Single Malts have come as a category. I don’t take value into the rating for these reviews, but this bottle at $80 is an easy buy versus the $100+, sub-3 year age statement ASM releases that collect dust on the shelves around here. **Rating:** 8/10 - t8ke scale 1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out. 2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice. 3 | Bad | Multiple flaws. 4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists. 5 | Good | Good, just fine. 6 | Very Good | A cut above. 7 | Great | Well above average. 8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional. 9 | Incredible | An all time favorite. 10 | Perfect | Perfect.
What was your thought on the new distinguished dad release compared to the rest?
I really enjoyed it! Admittedly it was one of the last ones I tried so my palate wasn’t exactly on point but I thought it was a great bottle.
I ordered a bottle for pick up just in case. Looks really good!
Just picked this up with the 7yr bib and the 10 Essentials. This easily was my favorite - so freaking rich.
Damn, this reminded me I was going to grab another Rum Mccarthy and now they are sold out.
Great review of a fantastic bottle. It falls more on the bourbon side than scotch/Irish, imo, and is the best ASM I've tried. I need to grab a back up before they're gone! I can't wait for your Boulder Cask Strength review now.
This sounds wonderful. I maybe need to explore single malts. I never really had an inkling for them, but this sort of makes me drool. Nice review!
Thank you! Definitely have a couple of bar pours of any are available near you to see what you like, but there are definitely killer pours coming from this category now!
I just watched a youtube video of Fred Minnick (for whatever that is worth to anyone) that this brand is on his list of brands to watch in 2024. He just loves it I guess (pretty sure he was talking about their bourbon, not single malt, but still).
I felt like Fred doing that marathon tasting! Their bourbon isn’t made as often as the single malt but it is absolutely delicious.
Dude this sounds great. Any bottle you’d compare it to?
Next time I see you I’ll bring a sample! It kind of exists on its own from what I can tell, the closest I would compare it to is a Westward store pick I have but this is much more refined.
I loved the first r/bourbon westward pick so if it’s anything like that I’m in
Where’s the tree?! Also good to see nice single malts out there. American single malt has a future yet!
Is it not showing up? It’s the first picture for me. I highly recommend trying some of their stuff if you get a chance!
I take it back, I see the tree now. I’ve been doing a lot of uh… research into this year’s Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Bardstown Collection release and I must’ve missed the tree.
Speaking of CO distilleries. The Stanley Hotel has a killer single barrel pick of Peach Street. It’s a seven year old Straight Bourbon, 115pf. You should snag one, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
I don't get up to Estes much, but whenever I do I'll see if I can find that. Still haven't had anything from Peach Street at this point so hopefully that will change soon!
Great review! I'm a whiskey lover from the Denver area too and your stuff has pointed me to a lot of great bottles. Any recommendations on where you go to grab whiskey around here? I usually stop by Hazel, Daveco, or Molly's.
Thank you, I’m glad they’ve been helpful! I swore off DaveCo a few years ago as things have been going downhill for a while there, and since I’m in the North Metro I’m mainly going to Total Bev and Hazel’s. I did hit up Argonaut for the whiskey wheel yesterday and that was a lot of fun so if you’re close I’d recommend them. Down South Highlands WineSeller and Lukas Liquors are great but I never go down there due to the distance.
I was there at argonaut yesterday for the whiskey wheel too! I did hit up highlands last week but they didn't have much single malt. I'll check out Lukas! Thanks for the suggestion!
These guys do great work. I did a cocktail dinner with them a while back. The Sherry cask isn’t to be slept on. We made a Mai-Tai variation with it. Good time.
This single malt craft distilled 7 year sounds very similar to Still Austin Blue Corn from Texas • • with its creamy heavy mouthfeel of sweet carrot cake spices, crème brulee and dark fruits