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Last Updated on February 1, 2023 by Lydia Martin
Even though Breckenridge is relatively young in whiskey, it prides itself on having the highest distillery worldwide, creating award-winning drams at 9,600 feet above sea level.
It holds a distinct blend in making its whiskeys.
To know more about Breckenridge bourbon, let’s dive into this article and see why this product stands out and if it’s worthy of all its recognitions.
Here’s our exclusive Breckenridge bourbon review. Read on.
Everything About Breckenridge Bourbon
Founded in 2008, the uniqueness of Breckenridge Bourbon continues to receive multiple awards in international spirits competitions worldwide.
It has a fascinating background, from its top-of-the-world distillery in Colorado that gives a unique location to age its whiskey to its unique blend of ingredients resulting in a great dram.
Quick Stats
| Distillery | Breckenridge Distillery |
| Whiskey Type & Region | Bourbon, Colorado, USA |
| Barrel Proof | 86-proof |
| Mash Bill | 56% corn, 38% green rye, and 6% malted barley |
| Age | At least three years |
| Average Price | Around $44 for 750ml |
Tasting Notes Overview
Nose: Pronounced aromas of vanilla with creamy sweetness, perhaps a buttery concoction of baked apple pie, corn, brown sugar, and spice-like light pepper sneeze.
Palate: It has rye spice, char tags, an oaky kick, flavors of black pepper with honey, vanilla, and light notes of butterscotch, with a tinge of taste-like cinnamon-spiced cider at first taste.
Finish: It has a medium-long finish with oak and vanilla, while white pepper lingers at the end of the sip.
Color: It has a deep amber hue.
Interesting Facts About Breckenridge Bourbon
Origin & History
Bryan Nolt, a radiologist turned distiller, founded Breckenridge’s flagship. It all started in 2008 in the skiing village of Breckenridge, Colorado, where it got its name.
Production Process
A bottle of Breckenridge contains a high rye bourbon blended with snowmelt to reveal the unique qualities of bourbon.
It uses a quality blend of mash content distilled in a column pot still.
After distillation, the bourbon whiskey is matured for at least three years in charred new American oak barrels before it is ready for bottling.
Mash Bill & Alcohol Proof
Breckenridge whiskey has a high-quality blend of 56% corn, 38% green rye grains, and 6% malted barley on its mash bill.
After maturing, the Breckenridge bourbon whiskey ’a blend’ is bottled at 86-proof lower than the Breckenridge bourbon high-proof bottled at 105-proof.
Distillery & Ownership
The Breckenridge bourbon whiskey is distilled in Breckenridge Distillery.
Its Colorado distillery is nestled in the Colorado Mountains at 9600 feet, making it the highest distillery in the world. [1]
“Blending is a huge, huge part of our business, and a big part of what we’re proud of here,”
– Erin Solomon, Retail Manager
Initially owned by Bryan Nolt, not until last 2021 that Tilray, a Canadian cannabis company, purchased the Breckenridge Distillery. [2]
Uniqueness
Breckenridge takes pride in making award-winning blended bourbon, a high-rye bourbon whiskey created with snow-melt water.
Fresh snowmelt water from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, located 9,600 feet above sea level, is considered naturally rich in minerals, making Breckenridge bourbon whiskey unique.
Food Pairings
Breckenridge is a fun and delicious bourbon that is great to pair with sandwiches.
It is best with rye bread with pastrami because it will complement the high rye’s robust character.
High rye bourbons like Breckenridge are also perfect to pair with minty foods, milk chocolate, and sweet desserts.
Common Breckenridge Bourbon Price
| Type | Size | Alcohol Proof | Average Price |
| Breckenridge Bourbon | 50ml | 86-proof | Around $4 |
| 750ml | Around $38 | ||
| 1.75L | Around $75 | ||
| Breckenridge Reserve Blend | 750ml | 86-proof | Around $31 |
| Breckenridge Spiced Whiskey | 750ml | 82-proof | Around $36 |
| Breckenridge Port Cask Finish | 750ml | 90-proof | Around $59 |
| Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish | 750ml | 90-proof | Around $59 |
| Breckenridge Madeira Cask Finish Bourbon | 750ml | 92-proof | Around $59 |
| Breckenridge PX Cask Finish | 750ml | 90-proof | Around $59 |
| Breckenridge Distillers High Proof | 750ml | 105-proof | Around $59 |
| Breckenridge Imperial Stout Cask Finish | 750ml | 114.7-proof | Around $98 |
| Breckenridge Single Barrel | 750ml | 102-proof | Around $121 |
| Breckenridge Dark Arts: Malt Mash | 750ml | 92-proof | Around $350 |
Note: Average prices are from Drizly and Reserve Bar, which may vary in your local liquor shop.
Compared to Other Bourbons
Leopold Bros.
The Leopold Bros. straight bourbon whiskeys are also made in Colorado, but compared to Breckenridge, it has a higher alcohol content at 90-proof.
These straight bourbons are aged four years in oak barrels and use a traditional sour mash of corn and rye.
But its bottles are more expensive than Breckenridge, priced at around $56.
Old Grand Dad BiB
Old Grand Dad Bottled-In-Bond version also uses a high rye mash, 27% rye, not higher than Breckenridge.
It was aged at least four years and bottled with a higher proof of 100.
Old Grand Dad bonded bottle is cheaper priced at around $25.
It has the definite spiciness of rye on the palate and has light oak & honey notes that develop towards the finish.
Maker’s Mark
Maker’s Mark Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey uses red winter wheat grain instead of rye in its mash bill and is bottled at a higher 90-proof.
Its whiskey’s iconic hand-dipped red wax bottle has a smoother profile and is cheaper priced at around $24.
FAQs
What makes Breckenridge unique?
The ingredients used in Breckenridge bourbon make it unique. Aside from its quality blend of corn, rye grain, and malted barley, it uses mineral-rich snowmelt water as a main ingredient.
Is Breckenridge ideal to sip neat?
Yes, Breckenridge is ideal for sipping neat, especially if you want to enjoy a pleasantly balanced rye whiskey spice with classic bourbon notes of oak and vanilla.
What can you mix with Breckenridge bourbon?
You can mix whiskey bitters, citrus juices, or club soda with Breckenridge bourbon whiskies to make classic cocktails.
Final Words
Breckenridge has a good whiskey brand reputation, and we appreciate its predominant rye spice flavors that balance classic bourbon notes.
Its complex, gentle, and well-rounded profile is a good bourbon whiskey option if you’re looking for something more intense in a bourbon.
If you haven’t had Breckenridge yet, we recommend you try it. At its fair price point, you’ll get a remarkable dram that won’t overwhelm your palate.
References:
- https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/04/21/2426308/0/en/Breckenridge-Distillery-Takes-Home-Two-Double-Gold-and-One-Gold-Medal-at-the-2022-San-Francisco-World-Spirits-Competition.html
- https://www.denverpost.com/2022/02/04/breckenridge-distillery-sold-tilray-canadian/
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
