Lyons, Colorado-based Spirit Hound Distillers recently earned a gold medal for its American Single Malt Whisky from The Fifty Best!. Spirits were evaluated by a panel of eight esteemed judges, who held a masked tasting of 10 American single malt whiskeys.
Judges noted aromas of caramel, nougat, brown sugar and peanut brittle and flavors of chocolate, black pepper and oak in Spirit Hound’s American Single Malt Whisky. They also commented on an “overtly distinctive flavor” in the finish.
American single malt whisky was finally defined by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) as an official category in January, but Spirit Hound has been leading the pack in this exemplary style for over 13 years. Their American Single Malt Whisky is crafted entirely of barley both grown and malted in Alamosa, Colorado, and a Scottish twist is introduced with the inclusion of a small amount of peated malt. The whisky ages for a minimum of two years in new, full-size, charred American Oak barrels. As with all of their spirits, Rocky Mountain water is used to cut the proof, and the whisky is bottled as a single barrel. This approach allows the taster to experience the many nuances that make each barrel unique.
“We’ve had a deep appreciation for the American single malt whisky style since we started in 2012 and have been distilling according to rigorous standards with 100% Colorado malt for just as long,” said Spirit Hound’s master distiller Craig Englehorn. “We feel that it’s a superior style, well worth the rigor, and we’re proud to be recognized in the category by The Fifty Best.”
With accolades like a gold medal at the 2024 London Spirits Awards and the title of Best Whisky in the World at the London Spirits Competition, Spirit Hound’s reputation for excellence continues to grow with the addition of The Fifty Best! medal. Additionally, Spirit Hound was named Distiller of the Year by the Colorado Sun and ranked as the 37th top whisky bar in the US by Yelp.