You can sample this fine spirit while getting a real feel for why it’s special by heading to the facility in the Santa Fe Arts District and taking the Stranahan’s Distillery tour. The visit starts with a history lesson. Many years ago a barn burned to the ground in Woody Creek, CO. The barn belonged to George Stranahan, founder of Flying Dog Brewery and the Woody Creek Tavern (aka Hunter S. Thompson’s favorite hangout). One of the first responders called out to the fire was Jess Graber, a whiskey connoisseur. When the fire ended the two discovered they had something in common and friendship was built. The whiskey followed.

 

For those who know how to brew beer or have been on a brewery tour, making whiskey is similar. Whiskey begins with a mash of cereal grain. The only difference is they don’t add hops.

Kristen Forsch, Stranahan’s brand ambassador, says Stranahan’s whiskey “starts like a Scotch and finishes like a bourbon. We wanted the best of both.” This is achieved by using a custom-made Vendome copper combination pot/column still. While the liquor process starts like a Scotch, the aging process is that of a bourbon. It’s held two to three years in new charred American oak barrels from Missouri.

 

From the aging room, the whiskey and the tour move to the bottling room, where a small machine — lovingly named Charlene — is used to get the spirit into glass. According to Forsch, little Charlene has filled every bottle of Stranahan’s whiskey ever made. She also explains that Stranahan’s Whiskey is bottled with the help of a volunteer crew twice a month. Anyone, if they are 21 years of age or older, can join the bottling crew.

 

At the end of the tour, a visit to the General Store for a sample of the finished product is in order. Kristin stresses that Stranahan’s is a sipping whiskey, not made for mixing and certainly not for tossing back shots. “Of course, what you do with it in the privacy of your home is completely up to you,” she adds with a wink.

 

Stranahan’s Whiskey gives 20 people the opportunity to tour the distillery four times a day (11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM and 5 PM), four days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday). You must reserve a spot in advance online here. Tours fill up quickly, but there is also a waitlist for those who need it. After your tour, we suggest you complete the visit with lunch or dinner at the Rackhouse Pub attached to the distillery.