After its Port Cask Finish and High Proof whiskeys won the title of World’s Best Finished and Blended Bourbon at the World Whiskies Awards, the team at Breckenridge Distillery in Colorado is on top of the world – in more ways than one
High up in the mountains to the west of Denver, surrounded by lush pine forests and sweeping ski runs, the town of Breckenridge offers a sense of place like no other and a unique home for its namesake whiskey. One of the world’s few high-altitude whiskey distilleries, Breckenridge Distillery is a multi-award-winning producer of bourbons, blended bourbons and American single malts, offering a snapshot of Colorado flavours in a tasting glass. A jewel of a distillery that’s well worth a visit, its whiskeys make a brilliant gift – for Father’s Day and beyond.
At the top of any whiskey lover’s wish list is Breckenridge 105 High Proof Blended Bourbon. Not only does it offer a masterful combination of flavours – think: dark caramel, toasted almonds, chocolate and orange peel – it’s also scooped the title of World’s Best Blended whiskey at the World Whiskies Awards 2023.
“We’re honoured to be recognised by Whisky Magazine and its global panel of expert judges as having another World’s Best Blended whiskey, and I’m so happy for our team,” says Bryan Nolt, Breckenridge’s founder and CEO. “Their passion and uncompromising commitment to quality is embodied in our entire spirits portfolio.”
It’s true. Not only has Breckenridge 105 High Proof Blended Whiskey picked up an array of awards (including Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), its Rum Cask Finish and Port Cask Finish boast a haul of tasting contest medals, too. In 2024, Port Cask Finish won World’s Best Finished Bourbon and in 2017, Best American Blended Whiskey at the World Whiskies Awards.
Along with its wider whiskey portfolio, Breckenridge’s Bourbon, High Proof Blend, and Rum Cask Finish are available to buy online now. Snap up a bottle for your dad ahead of Father’s Day and don’t forget to enter the prize draw to win a getaway to Breckenridge!
This promotional feature was written by American Whiskey Magazine in partnership with Breckenridge Distillery.
The Breckenridge Distillery story started back in 2008. Nolt, a radiologist, had fallen in love with Scotch, and after a trip across the Atlantic, he realised his calling lay beyond the doctor’s office.
“I always wanted Breckenridge to be a destination distillery,” Nolt says. He describes his passion for flavour, wanting to do things differently, for bringing together spirits, food and cocktails in a stunning location. All the flavours of Colorado authentically in one place.
And the results speak for themselves. Since production started, the Breckenridge team has claimed numerous prizes – in addition to the World’s Best Blended Award, the distillery also won 3 Icons of Whisky awards and 9 American Blended awards at the World Whiskies Awards. For those who love gin, their Breckenridge Gin was named World’s Best Gin at the World Gin Awards in 2021.
What is it that makes the distillery character just so delicious? “We’re at 10,000 feet here, so you have to do everything a little differently,” Nolt continues. Milling at -15F brings challenges, but it seems that fermenting and distilling at lower atmospheric pressure brings advantages – and ones that translate into the flavour.
“Every place is different,” he explains. “The location in the room that a fermentation tank is in, how much air comes in, how you influence it. There are subtle differences.” Fascinatingly, he piloted the kit nearer sea level in California.
“Now, I’ve never made whiskey in Kentucky, or Indiana, or Tennessee,” he says. “But here, it needs less tweaking. The yeast is a little happier up here.”
The advantages of being up in the Rocky Mountains carry over into distillation, too. He has a 40ft column still with a doubler for bourbon production, and single pot stills for his American single malt. “What’s nice about distillation is that the lower atmospheric pressure means lower boiling points,” he outlines. “Things come over during distillation faster, quicker, they take less energy.” Essentially the very location of Breckenridge makes it easier to capture those exact flavours that make its spirit award-winning.
Blended bourbons are a fascinating category, and one in which Breckenridge clearly excels. The art of blending is all about bringing together excellent whiskeys and crafting something even greater than the sum of its parts. What’s especially exciting is that the award-winning High Proof Blended Bourbon gives an insight into the artistry of a blender as you sip. And bottling it at 105 proof – or 52.5% ABV – gives it a powerful flavour boost.
Breckenridge Bourbon brings all this at a slightly more approachable ABV. Bottled at 86 proof (43% ABV), the characteristic distillery vibrancy comes through with notes of butterscotch, apple, dry cacao and brown sugar. For those looking for a sweeter twist, Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish delivers lustrous notes of glossy dark chocolate and spicy cinnamon. The secret? A finishing period in the distillery’s own rum casks.
“Philosophically for me, quality is the only thing that matters,” Nolt remarks. “If you want to have quality in whiskey, there’s so much heritage that you just can’t ignore.”
In addition to its remarkable sense of place, Breckenridge also assigns much of its character to its high-rye mash bills. Its base recipe stands at 38 per cent rye, bringing a rich depth and complex spice to proceedings.
“Rye is such a dense, hard grain. It’s difficult to work with,” concedes Nolt. But it’s worth the effort. Not only are his whiskeys world-beating, they bear the all the hallmarks of expert production, too.
It’s an exciting time to be at Breckenridge – and in American whiskey more broadly. The distillery’s bourbons have put it squarely on the world stage. And now Nolt is building on the foundations with the advent of his American single malt programme.
He’s fascinated by malt. By how different roasting levels bring out a spectrum of flavours. And how those flavours translate into drinking experiences. Breckenridge has already pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in bourbon – expect single malt to follow.
“I just want to push it to the limit the way American brewers did with beer,” Nolt states. “By having malt libraries and sacrificing yield for more flavour.” He’s clearly enchanted by the work going on at the distillery. “The colours we’re painting with here are just epic.”
The taste journey that Breckenridge’s whiskey starts by no means ends with a tasting glass. The team are so passionate about Colorado produce and provenance that they opened a restaurant on-site to show off the region’s flair for flavor.
Breckenridge Distillery was named one of America’s Top Visit Attractions at the World Whiskies Awards, offering a journey through the sense. The Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant is a modern-American steakhouse, with a remarkable cocktail programme overseen by Icons of Whisky award-winning bar manager Billie Keithley. Under their expert leadership, they have built something extraordinary.
“First off, service is impeccable,” Nolt states, who is clearly proud of his team. “It’s Michelin star-quality food – even the happy hour menu.” Think seasonal, approachable dishes that bring an upscale dining experience to the mountain setting. “It’s exceptional.”
From remarkable bourbons to a thrilling future in American single malt, Breckenridge is pushing the boundaries of whiskey quality and creation from its mountain home. As well as a must-visit distillery, its whiskeys tell a compelling story – and make extraordinary gifts. Whether it’s for Father’s Day or any occasion throughout the year, an award-winning Breckenridge bottling is always set to delight whiskey fans.
Along with its wider whiskey portfolio, Breckenridge’s Bourbon, High Proof Blend, Port Cask Finish and Rum Cask Finish are available to buy online now. Snap up a bottle for your dad ahead of Father’s Day, and you could win a getaway to Breckenridge! Buy yours here to enter.
Cocktail Recipe: Grillin’ and Chillin’ Pineapple Old Fashioned
Grilling this Father’s Day? Share this BBQ inspired cocktail with Dad.
Ingredients:
- 2-1/4 oz Breckenridge Bourbon
- 1/2 oz grilled pineapple simple syrup
- 2 dashes lemon bitters
Garnish:
Grilled pineapple & cherry
Method:
Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain over large cube.
*Pineapple simple syrup: over medium heat, add 1 cup water, 1 cup demerara, sugar and 4 rings of grilled pineapple. Muddle and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, strain, bottle and refrigerate.
This promotional feature was written by American Whiskey Magazine in partnership with Breckenridge Distillery.
Partner Promotion features are advertorials written by the American Whiskey team in partnership with brands. We only enter into paid partnerships with brands we truly believe in, and paid activity is always clearly flagged as such so that our readers can make informed decisions. Partner promotions are managed by our parent company’s Partnerships department and so do not impact our Editorial team’s integrity and independent voice.
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