When you think of whiskey-producing regions, you might not immediately think of Colorado. However, there is one distillery from there that we want to highlight, and that is 291 Colorado Whiskey. Distillery 291 is a globally acclaimed, small-batch whiskey nestled in the shadow of Pikes Peak, and its whiskeys are as special as its origin.

Establishment

291 Colorado Whiskey was founded by Michael Myers. Although he previously worked as a former New York City fashion and beauty photographer, he has always had a love of whiskey and a passion for the Old West. Having grown up on rural farms in Georgia and Tennessee, he wanted to create a whiskey that evoked the Wild West, through the taste, smell, and folklore of it. This finally led to the establishment of Distillery 291 and the creation of a one-of-a-kind Colorado Whiskey.

Process

Distillery 291’s motto is “Hardmade, the Colorado Way.” Their production process has three key steps that embody the distillery and create a whiskey with three key characteristics: Rugged, refined, and rebellious.

Part of what makes Distillery 291’s whiskeys so special is their amazing, seamless blend of local styles and traditional ones, which is seen throughout the production process.
291 Whiskey is created from scratch. Hundreds of pounds of grain are milled into a corn cooker where their unique mash is created. They use the traditional method of souring their mash in open-air fermenters, then distil it three times in their custom, locally made pot stills.
The next step is the ageing process, which makes use of various local materials and ingredients to capture the charm and beauty of Colorado. The whiskey is first aged in virgin, heavily charred, American white oak barrels and is then brought to a finish on toasted aspen staves, which are harvested from a friend’s nearby land. To keep the proof high, they cut their whiskey slightly with clean Rocky Mountain water. Each bottle is filled, corked, caged, and labelled by hand, so you can be sure that the bottle you receive is truly handmade with love. Finally, their unique proprietary process takes secondary stillage and adds it to the mash. This is another local, Colorado twist on a traditional process; they incorporate a fraction of the last stillage in each new batch, and they call it the El Paso County Process.

291 Whiskey’s intricate production process. Photograph from Distillery 291.

If you want to see this unique process in person, visit Distillery 291’s page for upcoming tours and tastings.

Awards

Distillery 291’s whiskeys have been recognised by various publications and competitions. Some of its notable awards include being named 2022 American Craft Producer of the Year, World’s Best Wheat in 2021, and World’s Best Rye in 2018. They have received several other awards for American whiskey, making it the most highly awarded Colorado Whiskey and one of the best distilleries in the US.

If you’re looking for a high-quality and well-crafted American whiskey, Distillery 291 is perfect for you. With their incredible attention to detail and perfect fusion of traditional and local techniques and styles, we are sure you’ll be charmed by this thoughtful, down-to-earth distillery.

Looking to try or invest in a bottle of 291 Whiskey? Explore our range on WhiskyGenius.com.

Please enjoy whisky responsibly.

Banner Photograph from Distillery 291.