Source for Breckenridge?

[tyerod]

I was wondering if anyone had the skinny on the source for Breckenridge Bourbon? I believe they are on the crux of being about to bottle their own distilled and aged here in CO. My sketchy info has theirs coming from MO but I was curious if and when they will be producing a full CO bourbon. Questions to the distillery have gone unanswered

[SFS]

Jason Pyle weighed in on the topic of their sourcing, but just the fact that they were, IIRC. I talked to the distillery about two months ago (though not to the MD), and the changeover from sourced to their make is supposed to come this summer. Didn't inquire as to when, but in April or May I'm going to bunker several cases of the current product.

Are you calling them, or emailing? The woman I talked to was very understanding, but I made it clear I wasn't interested in picking a fight, or seeking proprietary information, that I was just drinking the stuff, and wanted to lay in a supply if it was going to change. When she got back to me (within an hour, by the way) she said the MD said I would not be able to tell a difference. That of course remains to be seem, and since I'm in this game later than most, I'm going to hedge my bets with this particular offerering, because I like it a lot.

[tyerod]

I attempted emails via their website. I am not worried about it being a sourced product, I knew enough when it first came out to assume they did not have time to age their own. I was more interested in knowing when I could be drinking a fully CO bourbon. I hope they have a rye back in their aging room so it can be released soon after:) I'm getting thirsty.

[SFS]

This summer then, it looks like. Current product has been in the barrel between 2 and 3 years, but I don't know if that is the plan for their own make.

[LongBeachScott]

This advertisement from Caskers certainly indicates it is made in CO (for what it's worth).

http://caskers.com/product/breckenridge/

[Enoch]

I was there last summer and bought several bottles. The young man implied that when they changed the bottle label, it became their stuff. Old bottle just said Bourbon, new bottle said Bourbon Whiskey. The also offer a single barrel now for $999. I also noticed you can buy full barrels.

[tyerod]

I believe they were cutting the sourced stuff with local water. It will be interesting to try when it is an all CO product. I need to make it up there on a non-snowboarding day so I can swing by the distillery.

[Enoch]

I was back there last week. Was told it was currently a blend of their stuff and bourbon from Kentucky. I was also told that they plan on expanding after the spring thaw and installing a continuous still and would be 100% their product at some point in the future. We could tell by a bottle change. The first batch just had Bourbon. The blends have "Bourbon Whiskey". Did not know what the next bottle would be like. They implied the SB was all their juice but costs $999. Oh, They wouldn't let me taste the SB.

Edited April 9, 2013 by Enoch

[HighInTheMtns]

I was back there last week. Was told it was currently a blend of their stuff and bourbon from Kentucky. I was also told that they plan on expanding after the spring thaw and installing a continuous still and would be 100% their product at some point in the future. We could tell by a bottle change. The first batch just had Bourbon. The blends have "Bourbon Whiskey". Did not know what the next bottle would be like. They implied the SB was all their juice but costs $999. Oh, They wouldn't let me taste the SB.

If it is currently a blend of their product and bourbon from Kentucky, then their TTB COLA filing (https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=10254001000072) is incorrect - it specifies a class of "Straight Bourbon Whiskey" but a product containing a blend of straight bourbons produced in more than one state does not qualify as such (http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter4.pdf, see also HW American Prairie Reserve.) Doesn't appear to actually say the word "straight" on the label, though. I think this is a dumb rule, and more a trivial error than anything.

My issue with Breckenridge is that having tasted their whiskey, I absolutely do not believe that it is 2 years old. There may be some 2 year old juice in the blend, but there is almost certainly a large proportion of well-aged juice. My speculation is that they intend to eventually replace the well-aged Kentucky bourbon in the blend without changing the label, eventually allowing them to charge a premium price for 2 year old whiskey to a market they've built by selling Kentucky bourbon with an understated age.

Edited April 9, 2013 by HighInTheMtns

[squire]

Very good points Jim.

[mrviognier]

FWIW, I was told that the original juice came from HH, and that they were eventually going to bottle their own.

[gburger]

So I stopped by a store tonight and they had Breckenridge samples of their bourbon and vodka.

I took a sample of the bourbon, and the girl handing it out told me they make their whiskey from Colorado snow. She said they melt it down to make the whiskey.

I asked her a few other questions and she just started reading from a sheet in front of her. I thanked her and continued to shop.

I had already bought a bottle of it awhile ago, it is okay, but lacks some real depth in taste for me.

[mark fleetwood]

So I stopped by a store tonight and they had Breckenridge samples of their bourbon and vodka.

I took a sample of the bourbon, and the girl handing it out told me they make their whiskey from Colorado snow. She said they melt it down to make the whiskey.

I asked her a few other questions and she just started reading from a sheet in front of her. I thanked her and continued to shop.

I had already bought a bottle of it awhile ago, it is okay, but lacks some real depth in taste for me.

Colorado snow eh? Hope the drought, below-average snowpack and water restrictions don't stop production.

[Josh]

I took a sample of the bourbon, and the girl handing it out told me they make their whiskey from Colorado snow. She said they melt it down to make the whiskey.

I asked her a few other questions and she just started reading from a sheet in front of her. I thanked her and continued to shop.

Thanks for the laugh!

:slappin:

:slappin::slappin:

[LCWoody]

I hope they don't use any "yellow" snow!!!!!! They use snow, she needs to go back to work at Hooters

[squire]

That was funny Woody.