Weathered oak staves | Berry pie | Light malted barley | Vanilla frosting | Faint dried tobacco | Raspberry thumbprint cookie

Mixed dark berries | Aged oak | Green peppercorn spice | Nutmeg | Leather | Cigar wrapper | Touch of ginger | Homemade berry poptart

Aged oak | Black peppercorn spice | Leather | Cigar box | Faint dried blackberry | Juicy mixed berries | Lingering light berry sweetness & spice

Jess Graber and George Stranahan founded Stranahan's in Denver, Colorado in 2004, after whom the whiskey is named. In December 2010, Proximo Spirits acquired the company and has since continued to expand its lineup. This now includes Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 Year, which is a 12 year aged single malt that is then finished for an undisclosed time in port casks.

Stranahan's emphasizes the impact that elevation has on its aging whiskey. Due to the fact that the elevation is 5,280 feet above sea level, the impact of evaporation and the resulting angel's share loss is stated to be as extreme as 80%. While you may find that evaporation amounts in barrels aged much longer in states at sea level, it’s surprising how much younger the whiskey can be to experience that loss when in the “Mile High City.”

The time the whiskey spent resting in oak is evident throughout the sip. Mountain Angel 12 Year opens with an aroma that is well balanced yet slightly muted. Weathered oak staves and faint dried tobacco add earthy notes, while the port finish helps pull out scents of berry pie and raspberry thumbprint cookie. The port finish continues to show its impact in the midpoint as mixed dark berries and a homemade berry poptart mix with noticeable aged oak and more grounded flavors, along with a touch of ginger. Culminating in a dash of juicy mixed berries, the finish punches back on the sweetness with defined aged oak, black peppercorn, and a cigar box note before a lingering light berry sweetness rides out on aged oak.

Overall, Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 Year is a nice American single malt that, even for a 12 year old whiskey, comes across as more oak-forward than you might be expecting. While the port finish is noticeable throughout, dominant oak notes are never far behind. Its age-to-price ratio is impressive for the American single malt space; however, that age plays a prominent role throughout, almost to a fault. This is a whiskey that will appeal to those who like an oakier pour but appreciate a touch of sweetness along the way.

The American single malt in review is bottle number 5,194 of 16,800 from Batch 2.