LYONS, Colo.— Fresh off a gold medal performance at the 2019 Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival, Spirit Hound Distillers announced they will be distributing their award-winning Oak Barrel Finished Gin in select locations throughout Colorado. Long a quietly coveted tasting room favorite, word about the small batch spirit spread to a point where the voices of demand could no longer be ignored.
“Winning the gold medal was awesome and affirmation that the regulars here at our distillery have great taste,” said Spirit Hound Co-Founder Wayne Anderson. “Some of them wanted to keep it as their little secret but we thought the Oak Barrel Finished Gin was too good not to share with more of our fans here in Colorado.”
The gold medal spirit can be found behind the bar at the Spirit Hound tasting room in Lyons, as well as at select retailers across Colorado. It will only be available through the month of January or until the barrels run dry.
The Oak Barrel Finished Gin was recognized for its warming flavors of Mexican vanilla, cassia cinnamon, and nutmeg. The distinctive taste is a result of very intentional interplay between liquid and wood.
“We wanted to use brand-new Oak barrels because the fresh, toasted oak really contributes some unique sweet and caramelized sugar notes to the gin,” shared Spirit Hound head distiller Craig Engelhorn. “Our classic gin has an herbal spiciness and resting it in a barrel soften those flavors a bit and allows the cinnamon, coriander and cardamom to shine through.”
The interplay between spices created new flavors and spices are also a respectful nod to a gone-but-not-forgotten favorite from the past, Old Tom Gin. The pre-prohibition brand generated buzz by finding a middle-ground flavor between the better known spicy, arid style of London Dry and heavier and more malty Genever, but never returned after prohibition was lifted. With their Oak Barrel Finished Gin, Spirit Hound pays tribute to Old Tom’s distinctive sweeter and less-botanical style.
“You can’t claim to be a craft distiller, or really craft anything, unless you walk the talk,” Engelhorn shared. “Authenticity isn’t something you say, and respect isn’t something you demand. You’ve got to prove and earn them every day in what you do. And our goal in creating this gin was to create a fitting tribute to a true classic spirit and leave no question about how much we honor the roots and traditions of our craft.”
About Spirit Hound Distillers
Resonating from the gritty small town of Lyons, situated in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, comes Spirit Hound Distillers and unique crafted spirits years in the making. Founded in 2012 by friends and business partners—Craig Engelhorn, Wayne Anderson, Matt Rooney and Neil Sullivan—Spirit Hound’s reputation originates in a hands-on approach to the craft of distilling. The Spirit Hound team takes traditional and classic recipes that comes to life with local, hand-selected ingredients distilled through hand-built-from-scratch stills and distillation equipment in search of one-of-a-kind processes and flavors. Spirit Hound offerings include: an acclaimed Straight Malt Whisky, Honey Whisky, Spirit Hound Gin, Mountain Bum Rum, Sambuca and an un-aged version of its whisky called White Dog Moonshine. Currently, Spirit Hound products are available in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Texas.
The Spirit Hound tasting room is located on the St. Vrain River at 4196 Ute Highway/US Route 36 Lyons, CO 80540 and hosts live music and events throughout the week, and is a popular destination for lovers of distilled spirits and handcrafted cocktails.
For additional details please visit spirithounds.com or call (303) 823-5696
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