Stranahan’s Snowflake Colorado Whiskey Review (2018)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A-

Only just a few limited editions from small distillers have risen to the hype that greets the titans of Kentucky’s annual autumn release season, that time when most of the hot ticket limited releases come out. Although born of far more humble origins than the big distiller stuff, Stranahan’s Snowflake has come to match them in some respects, and in one even eclipse them.

Snowflake has become such a fan favorite and a fixture of Colorado craftiness that an annual event that some call “The Burning Man of Whiskey” has grown up around it. Every December, fans camp out in the distillery parking lot, all to get in line for their crack at a bottle. Yes, I know enthusiasts have been known to camp out at liquor stores to be there when the doors open and get a bottle of Pappy at regular retail price. But consider this: how often do those camp-outs start a week in advance of the release date, as was the case for this year’s Snowflake? How many draw in hundreds of participants? And finally, how many of those enthusiasts brave sleeping in tents in frosty, 20-degree weather?

Snowflake was born several years ago, initially featuring one or more separate barrel finishes each year. Then Rob Dietrich took over as Master Distiller in 2011, and from there Snowflake has grown into a tour de force of blending multiple finished whiskeys into a creative expression. This year’s installment, dubbed “Mt. Elbert,” drew on nine casks of eight different types: Muscat, Syrah, Merlot, Port, Zinfandel, Chocolate Stout, Rum, and two Madeira casks. The whiskey that came out of this varied palette of finishes was bottled at 47% ABV (94 proof).

The Whiskey
In the glass, Snowflake 2018 has a mid-amber appearance, balancing its red and its brown. The liquid is viscous in the glass, laying down a solid coating with a clear, thick crown. That crown stubbornly refuses to drop tears, taking so long I gave up watching for them.

The nose is rich and comes on almost entirely at once, but manages that crowd of scents without overwhelming the senses. The aroma is like a bowl of red fruits and berries with a crumble of graham crackers and ginger cookies layered on the top, plus a note of dry, toasty wood hovering in the background.

A sip of the whiskey is just as richly endowed as the nose. The liquid has a silken texture, with a foundation of very wine-driven red and dark fruits (red apples, plums, raisins, dried apricot) and fruitcake spices. It turns a bit tart on the back end, as if someone had put raspberries in at the last minute. The finish changes course, unwinding with cinnamon and turning a little peppery as it fades away.

Last year’s Snowflake is a flavorful, deep, fruity whiskey, with enough complexity to be a real showcase of how to make the most out of a wide stock of barrel-finished whiskey.

The Price
Snowflake is a distillery-only release with a two-bottle limit, so if you get one any other way than showing up for the annual camp out, you’ve got a fake or a resell on your hands. That said, at the distillery, Snowflake runs $100 a bottle.