Table Of Contents
The Details
| Rating | 94 |
| Style |
American Whiskey Whiskey |
| Produced In |
Colorado United States |
| ABV | 47% |
| Availability | Limited |
| Price | $129.99 |
| Reviewed By | |
| Review Updated | 2024-01-08 |
Stranahan's Snowflake 2023 (Batch #26, Pyramid Peak) Review
There are bottles in American whiskey that command respect, and there are those that veer into cult territory. Now in its 26th iteration, Stranahan’s annual Snowflake release is squarely in the latter camp. It’s always a unique blend — no two snowflakes are alike, after all — featuring a base of Stranahan’s single malt with a variety of age ranges and a nearly infinite potential combination of cask finishes.
Uber-fans of the Colorado single malt distiller camp out for up to a week ahead of time for the hyper-limited release, generally in the range of 1,500-2,000 bottles total. Over the past decade, Snowflake release week has grown into a festival in its own right, complete with a tent city, late night concerts, and food trucks to service those holding their places in line. In 2023, on Dec. 2, the entire release sold out in under three hours.
As has become tradition, the 2023 Snowflake release is named for one of the 58 Colorado mountains eclipsing 14,000 feet, in this case Pyramid Peak. It’s also a much-hyped first blend crafted by head blender Justin Aden, who joined Stranahan’s in May after years at Detroit’s Valentine Distilling.
And with Pyramid Peak, Aden certainly came out swinging. Inspired by a standout sample of Stranahan’s single malt finished in a cask that previously held mezcal, Aden built this year’s blend one component at a time. Ultimately, the final blend included 1-2 year finishes in rum, sherry, ruby port, and Islay quarter casks, in addition to the mezcal. (All single malt used had previously been aged in new charred American oak for 6-8 years before the finishing process.)
It’s certainly an impressive array of finishes. Let’s see what sort of flavor profile — and quality of whiskey — it ultimately produced.
Stranahan's Snowflake 2023: Stats and Availability
Stranahan’s Snowflake Batch #26 retailed for $129.99 and sold out almost immediately at the distillery’s on-site store. Potential buyers camped out for days beforehand to secure places in line for the chance to buy the ultra-limited release. As such, it’s exceedingly rare that bottles of Snowflake make it to legitimate retail, and it’s even a rarity on the secondary market.
Stranahan's Snowflake 2023: Review
I originally tasted Snowflake Pyramid Peak at the 2023 release event as a guest of the distillery, but for this review, I revisited the pour in a controlled setting with a much fresher palate. As with all of VinePair’s whiskey reviews, this was tasted in a Glencairn glass and rested for at least five minutes.
Nose
The nose starts early, and it’s wafting out of the glass even as the liquid rests.
When things get officially underway, charred fruit, mild sandalwood, and light peat kick things off, starting in equal proportion and then leaning heavier toward smoke after a moment or two. When I first tasted this batch at the distillery, I smelled much less fruit at this point. With a fresh nose and in a controlled environment, those notes come through quite well.
That dense, cooked fruit is also punctuated by fresh pine and birch bark. The name predisposes drinkers, of course, but the scent already evokes a cold day in the Rockies.
Somewhere in the middle, after the second or third return to the glass, comes an artificial grape note, a bit like a cold, purple slushy. (Mouthwatering for those who partook as kids.)
And about that smoke: there’s an almost imperceptible tug-of-war between the Islay and mezcal influence, at one moment peat-forward and then the next leaning back toward smoky and sweet agave.
Taste
First sips bring subtly sweet, smoked agave, a green and vibrant start on the palate. Again, those varied smoky flavors — Islay quarter casks and mezcal — build slightly before ceding territory to dark fruits. Here, the ruby port and sherry show their stripes and somehow, against the odds, shine through the smokier elements.
There’s yet another transition soon thereafter, from dark fruit to brighter and lighter sweetness. The midpalate really blossoms with tropical fruit, including papaya, passion fruit, and pineapple; those build toward the back of the tongue with additional sips, a fruit cocktail that walks a nice line between complexity and balance.
Pyramid Peak has a moderately viscous mouthfeel, enough to support the great variety of flavor — though I feel it would have improved at a few points above the standard Snowflake bottling at 47 percent ABV.
Finish
The finish begins with light cinnamon and clove spice, a welcome change of pace after that tropical fruit. Yet tiny hints of funky, overripe fruit linger, likely some influence from the rum casks. Peat returns for one final bow, along with a light, cooling menthol sensation.
Stranahan's Snowflake 2023 Rating
94/100
Recap
The thought of combining five distinct finishing casks is quite dizzying but Justin Aden has done a remarkable job crafting a single malt that borrows flavors without breaking any asunder. Ultimately, the finished product is more cohesive than the blend would otherwise suggest — and it took a deft palate to get the proportions to that point.
Because of its rarity and unique place in the American whiskey landscape, Snowflake is a pour that is always tough to turn down. It helps that the 2023 release is some mighty fine whiskey to boot.
*Image retrieved from Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey
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