Final summer season Monica introduced us protection of the primary version of a curious combo from Colorado’s single malt purveyor Stranahan’s, a Distillery Unique bottling completed for two 1/2 years in additional anejo tequila barrels.
Now this expression is again and bottled as a second batch underneath the yearly launched Diamond Peak line — although it the indication of batch #2 on the label could also be a bit of complicated to some taking a look at final 12 months’s unrelated Diamond Peak launch (which was completed in Irish whiskey barrels).
This 12 months’s Diamond Peak is denoted as Batch #2 of the Further Añejo Tequila Cask, “a results of a wedding between Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, American Single Malt Whiskey chief and innovator, and Reserva de la Familia, the world’s first and best additional añejo tequila created from the Jose Cuervo household’s particular reserves.” This expression is not going to essentially be repeated once more, thoughts you. There’s no telling if a Batch 3 is within the works or what the 2024 Diamond Peak will carry us.
That stated, Batch 2’s method appears largely the identical because it did in 2022: 5 to eight 12 months previous Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey that then spends simply over 2 years in Cuervo Reserva de Familia Further Añejo tequila casks (which certainly held bourbon in them earlier than that).
My ideas with this expression fall largely in step with Monica’s expertise from ’22: recent apple cider notes are instant on the nostril, with tequila barrel-driven notes of cinnamon and only a trace of vegetal agave beneath. The one malt essence is a bit of washed out by the tequila affect, although there’s a barely bready high quality within the background that manages to push by an in any other case aggressive fragrant profile.
On the palate, I used to be struck by the fruity sweetness of the whiskey, which doubles down on the baked apples and cinnamon, then layers in notes of vanilla and gingerbread. Complicated however very heavy with baking spice components, the cayenne pepper qualities begin to grip because the palate fades into end, with a definite Mexican chocolate observe lingering.
I appreciated this greater than Monica, however it’s an enormous step away from expectations, both from American whiskey or Stranahan’s generally. Simply as my colleague put it final 12 months: “not a foul change of surroundings.”
90 proof.
B+ / $80 / stranahans.com
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey Diamond Peak Further Anejo Tequila Cask Batch 2 (2023)
$80
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