Justin Aden wasn’t even a week into his new role as master blender at Stranahan’s Distillery in Denver, Colorado, when he was tasked with creating the 2023 Snowflake offering. “I was simultaneously trying to learn the warehouse inventory—all of our thousands of barrels,” says Aden, adding that he effectively walked the ricks with a drill in hand, tasting everything he could in search of great barrels to include in Snowflake, the annual limited-edition, distillery-only single malt release.
This year’s Snowflake release is the 26th edition, and it’s dubbed Pyramid Peak. (All Snowflake releases are named after Colorado’s 14ers, a term for any mountain in the state that’s higher than 14,000 feet in elevation.) This 94-proof bottle is a blend of 16 barrels, each of which sees Stranahan’s Colorado single malt finished in an array of sourced casks.
How 2023’s Pyramid Peak Snowflake Release Was Created
Aden, a 14-year veteran in the industry who previously worked as a distillery operator and research scientist at Michigan State University before becoming head distiller at Valentine Distilling Company in Detroit, knows how to assemble a covetable whiskey. An ample array of finishing casks awaited Aden, but without much knowledge of where honey barrels were resting, it was a bit of a hunt. The first barrel that stopped Aden dead in his tracks was a mezcal barrel. “The word ‘linger’ is one of my favorite notes, stylistically, as a blender and whiskey drinker,” Aden says, “and these mezcal barrels had a beautiful linger.” Aden can’t disclose the source of the mezcal barrels, though he loves the flavor they impart. “It’s very vegetal, herbaceous, earthy, and mineral. It became the starting point for blending Pyramid Peak.”
Aden sought an equally impactful counterbalance to compete with such a potent finish; he needed an enormous start. He quickly landed on a series of Islay quarter casks, “a big smoky note that I adored, perfect for a brash opening note.” The Stranahan’s cellars held a small quantity of those Islay casks that caught Aden’s eye. “I found a blend of six that I really liked,” he says. “It took time because I’m looking for textural things when you have that much flavor from the scotch.”
With those bookends, Aden set out to build Snowflake’s body, using finishing barrels that previously held rum, ruby port, brandy, applejack, and sherry. “There’s no point in strong openers and finishers if you’re going to water it down with the body, so [finding the right body blend] took me three or four hundred tries,” Aden shares.
Aden worked on the 2023 Snowflake Pyramid Peak blend from his arrival in May right through Thanksgiving, days before the early December release. He feels “very blessed” that Stranahan’s trusted him entirely, though he did numerous focus-group trials with co-workers. “I believe in keeping tradition alive—I don’t want to be the guy who comes in and rocks the boat,” Aden smiles. “I want to wow you, but still have this bottle be recognizably Snowflake.”
How Does Stranahan’s 2023 Pyramid Peak Snowflake Taste?
In short, it’s a solid dram. You get Islay peat, front and center, on the nose. It fades into salty brine, fresh-cut wood, and sweet stewed stone fruits, likely owed to the brandy, rum, and ruby port barrels. The nose moves into candied apple and some fresh pear, but under it all, there’s still a hint of that base Stranahan’s distillate that fans of the brand recognize as trademark Colorado single malt. (Think noticeable oak, deep and rich vanilla notes, plenty of dried fruits, and a pop of coconut and banana.)
Take a sip and you’re rewarded with a decent viscosity, coating your mouth nicely. It’s a little oily, but it works. The first flavor I get isn’t peat from the Islay finishing barrel; it’s from the mezcal barrel, with its earthy, bold, and bright flavor singing through. As the sweetness from the agave barrel dissipates, it settles into the saltiness of the Islay casks, and then finishes with baking chocolate and baking spices. It definitively lingers, though I get the peat melding with the agave in a nice, warm handshake. Despite the bold flavors, there’s a softness and approachability to the pour, and it drinks a shade lighter than its 94-proof.
Is Stranahan's 2023 Pyramid Peak Snowflake Release Available?
Unless you were camping out at the distillery, unfortunately it's no longer available. Stranahan's doesn't disclose how many bottles were made, but more than 1,000 people were huddling in Colorado's frigid air in early December (most had been there for more than two days, partaking in a festive winter village replete with food, plenty of whiskey, music, and dancing), and were allowed to buy two bottles per person, at $120 per bottle. This is a distillery-only release, but past Snowflake releases have found their way onto the secondary market, for upwards of $300. Still, it's indicative of the quality products that Stranahan's is releasing at the distillery, and you can find similar distillery-only bottles, including a 2023 Diamond Peak release that's been finished in extra anejo tequila casks. It's not the same flavor profile as Pyramid Peak, but it's in the realm.
