In the early morning of Saturday, December 3, an odd but familiar sight could be found outside Stranahan’s Distillery on South Kalamath. Even before sunrise, a bustling throng of whiskey aficionados assembled around the building’s perimeter. Snowflake had arrived once again.
Excitement had been building all week, with the earliest arrivals setting up shop on Wednesday to guarantee themselves a spot at the front of the line. A designated camping area in the make-shift Snowflake Village was filled with tents of all shapes and sizes. String music bellowed from the neighboring pavilion, with designated RV spots being promptly grabbed up as they opened on Thursday. Stranahan’s co-founder Jess Graber even played a couple of sets with his group, The Highway 82 Band. The World Cup was streamed as people sipped on whiskey.
READ: A Closer Look At This Year’s Stranahan’s Snowflake Release Mount Elbert
The scene had all the energy of the pre-pandemic parties, though this year was orchestrated with even greater efficiency. Roughly 1,100 visitors purchased bottles over the course of two and a half hours — beating out last year’s record, in which the staff charged through the same amount in three. Each customer could buy a maximum of two 750 ml bottles at $119.99 a pop. “We’re elevating consumer experience year after year,” said Exposure senior account executive Dhiti Kapadia.
While a single distiller largely handled previous years’ expressions — rockstar whiskey craftsman Rob Dietrich being a major player — this year’s edition was a collaborative effort. Earlier in 2022, the previous head distiller Owen Martin left to take over as Master Distiller for Angel’s Envy. Stranahan’s is currently working on hiring a new master blender. “Owen really started the process and the rest of the team finished up the blend,” said Whiskey Educator of Proximo Whiskey Brands in Colorado Jason Levinson. “He prepped the team so well before he left.”
This year’s Batch #25, aka Humboldt Peak, paid homage to 2016’s Crestone Peak. The base whiskey — a nine-year-aged Stranahan’s — was finished in a range of Cabernet Sauvignon, Oloroso Sherry and Barbados Rum casks. The individual components were then expertly married to produce a juice with a robust nose of raisin, plum and gingersnap cookie with a fruit-flavor-rich palate reminiscent of apple cobbler and caramelized peach. This is a serious sipping hooch and an excellent example of Stranahan’s real knack for true innovation in the world of blending. No wonder an entire fan culture has been built and continues to swell around it.
Each batch is meticulously crafted throughout the course of the year. “They’re gonna start the next Snowflake in the next two months,” said Levinson.
While fans will have to wait until this time next year for another Snowflake, Stranahan’s will do its annual Cask Thief release in late June or early July.
Stranahan’s Whiskey Distillery and Cocktail Bar is located at 200 South Kalamath St., Denver. It is open Monday – Thursday from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., and Friday – Sunday from 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.