The Chilly Dedication of Stranahan’s Snowflake Whiskey

If there’s one shared experience universally familiar to those consumers who fancy themselves American whiskey geeks, then surely that experience–in 2023, especially–would have to be waiting in line for a limited release whiskey bottle. Granted, said lines are often found queuing outside a package store these days, and the object of obsession is, more often than not, a bourbon whiskey brand. But as the American whiskey market continues to mature and diversify, one finds the world of hype broadening along with it, with those rabid fans expanding their horizons to wait in exciting new styles of line, even for days at a time, in the frigid Colorado winter, for … malt whiskey? Okay, this still isn’t exactly a common occurrence, but that’s what makes Stranahan’s Snowflake Whiskey such an endearing phenomenon to its most ardent fans.

If you’re at all familiar with American single malt whiskey as a style and as an ethos, then you should probably already be intimately aware of Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. Founded in 2004 by distiller Jess Graber and George Stranahan, the founder of Flying Dog Brewery, they’re one of the pioneering companies that helped shape and solidify the conception of what an “American style” single malt whiskey might look like in the first place. The delayed-but-still-approaching official definition of the category from the TTB ultimately reflects so many of the early decisions made by Graber in those days–decisions like the choice to age their spirit in newly charred American white oak barrels, rather than the re-used bourbon casks common in the Scottish malt whisky industry. Each facet of Stranahan’s, from the use of a wide variety of beer brewer’s malts, to their explorations in blending numerous whiskeys finished in other styles of spirit/fortified wine casks, ended up being deeply consequential to the American malt whiskey scene as it exists today, almost 20 years later.

Snowflake, though, is effectively a world unto itself at Stranahan’s. The coveted annual release is sold exclusively at the distillery, exclusively on one day, and almost exclusively to those dedicated–“quixotic” might be the word–individuals who have camped out overnight (or longer!) in the company’s “Snowflake Village” parking lot in order to secure their place in the aforementioned line. This is a congregation of chapped lips and rosy cheeks, grooving all night long to progressive bluegrass music in their tents and no doubt helped along by both whiskey and Colorado’s access to recreational cannabis, as they await the reveal of a whiskey they know literally nothing about in advance. Why not? Because like the titular, frozen particle of water, no two Snowflake releases are alike. Each year’s bottle features a wildly different blend, reflecting the sprawling, eclectic library of casks available to the company’s Head Blender. That the diehard Stranahan’s fans trust in the brand so much that they’ll wait out in the cold for days before even knowing what each year’s blend will entail … well, that’s the kind of consumer loyalty that isn’t easy to come by, particularly in a spirits scene that is increasingly driven by novelty. But those Snowflake fans believe, in their heart of hearts, that each year’s blend will justify their devotion, and rarely do they feel they were wrong.

That goes for the recently conducted Snowflake 2023 release as well, with fans partying the days and nights away in the Snowflake Village, a vibe interrupted now and then by the sounds of select union representative distillery employees picketing the event with signs outside the grounds. After successfully voting to unionize in the fall of 2022, the employees have spent more than a year now engaged in collective bargaining with the company, selecting the high-profile Snowflake event to make an obvious statement. The distillery notes that the negotiations remain ongoing, and said in a statement that they “hope to arrive at a resolution soon.” We certainly hope that by the time of the next Snowflake release, these tensions will be a thing of the past.

As for this year’s blend, however, Snowflake 2023 Pyramid Peak (Batch #26 overall) represents a new chapter and changing of the guard at Stranahan’s, being the first batch shepherded to completion by Head Blender Justin Aden, who joined the company earlier this year. And it’s a bold diversion from pretty much any prior precedent, “pairing the elemental tones of earthy agave with smoke and sweet fruits, showcasing some of the most robust and bold finishing casks in Stranahan’s formidable arsenal,” in the words of the company. It would seem that Aden wanted his first ever batch of Snowflake to be a particularly memorable one.

This he was able to achieve through the sheer, dizzying variety of casks available for the Head Blender to search through in the process of formulating a thesis for Pyramid Peak–named, as all Snowflake batches are, for one of the state’s 53 “Fourteener” mountains with peaks above 14,000 feet. In a way, you really couldn’t ask for a better project to become acquainted with the width and breadth of experimentation that Stranahan’s has conducted over the years, as Aden’s hunt for the perfect Snowflake barrels gave him an impetus to taste spirit from every conceivable style of spirit and fortified wine finishing cask that the company has set aside for going on two decades. Effectively, he was given the keys to a one-of-a-kind archive, and invited to make the whiskey of his dreams.

So without further ado, let’s dive into actually tasting Snowflake 2023 Pyramid Peak with an in-depth review.

Stranahan’s Snowflake 2023 (Pyramid Peak) Tasting

It should go without saying that as an American single malt, all the spirit here was distilled by Stranahan’s in Colorado, from 100% malted barley mash bills, though the company uses an array of individual styles of malted barley. These single malt whiskeys then received an initial maturation of 6-8 years in newly charred American white oak barrels with a #3 char, before those spirits began their own eclectic journeys through a wide variety of finishing casks that make up the Stranahan’s library.

Ultimately, the following finishing casks were used for Pyramid Peak: Islay scotch whisky quarter casks, rum casks, sherry casks, ruby port casks and mezcal casks. Aden calls special attention to the mezcal casks in particular, saying that they formed the basis of inspiration for Pyramid Peak, with the other casks being chosen to support the flavor profile that the mezcal casks inspired. Mature single malts aged in those finishing casks for an additional 1 to 2 years were blended together to form a unique malt whiskey with a minimum 8 year age statement, as this year’s Snowflake, Pyramid Peak. Like other Snowflake batches, it was cut with Rocky Mountain water to 47% ABV (94 proof).

On the nose, the first thing that leaps out to me from Pyramid Peak is a rich fruitiness, with the sweetness of roasted or cooked fruits–I’m getting baked apple and something with more tropical flashes like roasted pineapple. These notes are mingling with nutty cacao nibs and hints of resin or fir trees, joined by considerable honey sweetness. A key point: Faint roasty herbaceousness starts subtly and then becomes more consistent, providing a hint of the roasted agave likely gained from the mezcal barrels. Surprisingly, there’s not a lot of overt peat/smokiness to be found on the nose, which is all the more surprising once you taste this Snowflake expression.

On the palate, the Islay scotch casks really stride to center stage up front, with the peated malt showing up prominently with notes of sweet smoke and brine. This segues into a palate of both herbaceousness and sweet fruit, with berries and apple butter joined by resin, wood ash, and hints of charred cinnamon and nutmeg. As this sits in the glass, the sweetness becomes stronger, and it’s easy to admire the more silky and full mouthfeel than one would likely expect to find from most 94 proof American single malt releases. The roasty herbaceousness likewise begins to present unmistakably as agave: This is a neat little trick the whiskey pulls off, because once that note first registers it becomes more and more present.

To be honest, the first time I tasted Pyramid Peak at the distillery’s Snowflake release event, I thought it was engaging and flavorful, but potentially unbalanced in a way that detracted from the whole. In particular, the Islay scotch peatiness and smoke on the palate seemed a bit too prominent to me, taking away from other aspects that Justin Aden as Head Blender likely wanted to highlight–although I should note that my palate is particularly sensitive to smoke. As I taste the whiskey again now, however, I think my opinion has evolved: Pyramid Peak certainly champions the presence of the peaty/smoke characteristics, but I really find myself admiring the way those tendrils of smoke and earthiness intertwine with the ripe fruitiness, subtle spice and especially the agave-like herbaceousness of the final profile. Pyramid Peak’s elements all ultimately share the spotlight in a supple and well realized way that I think shows a lot of skill and delicacy from Aden. It will be fascinating to see how this release pairs against whatever he chooses to reflect in Snowflake next year, particularly as Stranahan’s celebrates its 20th anniversary making American single malt.

It’s pretty clear that we’re currently in the midst of a major, transformative moment for malt whiskey as a style, and particularly malt whiskey made outside of classical regions such as Scotland. The U.S. market is embracing this style of whiskey in a way we’ve never seen before, and Stranahan’s has been a major player since the beginning. The arrival of each Snowflake, and the ardor of its fans, only makes it more clear that a new style of spirit is claiming its rightful place in the American whiskey canon. Drinkers who have yet to explore the style should sit up and take notice–each Snowflake is a fleeting thing.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident craft beer and spirits geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.