Branch & Barrel Distilling has released Batch 35 of its 5-year Colorado Straight Bourbon, nicknamed ‘Mitch’s Blend’ after master blender Mitchell Nester. The expression is available now at retailers across Colorado and at the distillery’s Centennial tasting room.
The bourbon is built from local grain and Rocky Mountain snowmelt water drawn from the Arapahoe Aquifer.
The distiller said the aquifer has been “naturally filtering through sandstone and shale for millions of years.”
Branch & Barrel described its flagship bourbon as shaped “as much by Colorado’s landscape, agriculture, elevation, and climate as it is by the barrel itself.”
The batch takes its ‘Mitch’s Blend’ name from Nester’s “overwhelming fondness for it.”
“I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is our best batch yet,” said Mitchell Nester, master blender at Branch & Barrel and the bottle’s namesake. “Batch 35 is exceptionally smooth and well-rounded, reflecting both the maturity of our program and the quality of locally-sourced ingredients,” he added.
The distillery’s Colorado Straight Bourbon has won 17 awards since it began entering competitions in 2019.
According to the official notes from the brand, the whiskey carries notes of Honey Nut Cheerios, vanilla custard crème brûlée, dark buckwheat honey, sandalwood, cedar humidor, cocktail cherry, caramelized orange oil, and old campfire.
Branch & Barrel releases small batches of its 5-year Colorado Straight Bourbon roughly four times per year. Each release reflects “the unique flavors and influences of the barrels that host them, the environment that shapes them, and the exceptional palate that selects and blends them.”
The company positioned the release within a growing regional whiskey scene.
“As Colorado continues to carve out a unique position in the national whiskey category, Branch & Barrel’s lineup of award-winning bourbons showcases the authenticity of the region’s quality and craft,” the distillery said.
Colorado has emerged as a notable US craft whiskey hub, with the state home to producers such as Stranahan’s, one of the earliest Colorado whiskey brands.
Consumers can find Branch & Barrel at craft spirits retailers across Colorado or visit the Centennial tasting room.
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