Distillery 291 is in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They are making some interesting whiskeys. They distill the whiskey three times in pot stills and this particular rye whiskey was finished with toasted Aspen wood staves in what they are calling “the El Paso County Process”. It does create a unique flavor in the whiskey. They sent me a bottle of this whiskey for review and Matt and I sat down and tasted it. Here are our tasting notes.
Distillery 291 Colorado Rye Whiskey Finished with Toasted Aspen Wood Staves
Proof: 101.7
Age: No Age Statement
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, caramel, prunes, raisins, a hint of baking spice, oak wood with a hint of resin.
- Matt: Rye grass, lemongrass, vanilla, prunes and oak wood.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, caramel, raisins, allspice, oak wood with a little resin from the Aspen wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and a citrus note comes out and the raisin and caramel are enhanced. Tasted with a pecan and a milk chocolate note comes forward with citrus, spice and oak.
- Matt: Rye grass, vanilla ice cream, raisins and oak wood. The dried cranberry made it very creamy with vanilla and rye grass. The pecan brought out notes of buttered corn and chocolate.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with raisins, oak and spice. The dried cranberry made the finish sweeter with lingering caramel. The pecan made the finish very long and dry with oak, spice and lingering citrus.
- Matt: Lots of rye grass, oak and cocoa. The dried cranberry made the finish sweeter with lingering caramel. The pecan made the finish long with oak and buttery corn.
I would pair this rye whiskey with a cigar that has rich tobacco and cedar spice in the smoke. I would reach for an Arturo Fuente Hemingway cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller