Not long ago, we shared the story of Barmen 1873 Bourbon - a whiskey created under the Coors - as in the beer producer - moniker. Today, we take a look at another whiskey in their lineup - Five Trail Whiskey.
Blended Whiskey That’s Actually Good
In the Fall of 2021, Molson Coors Beverage Company announced the release of its first-ever whiskey - Five Trail Whiskey - under its Coors Whiskey Company brand name. Priced at $59, it was made available in its flagship expression, as well as a Small Batch, Barrel Proof, and Cask Finish version. The name harkens to hiking in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and who can deny whiskeys finished with Colorado Mountain water (similar to Tincup).
I first eyed this whiskey on the shelves in the gift shop at Bardstown Bourbon Company prior to a whiskey-thieving rickhouse tour. It’s great to know that Bourbon Hall of Fame distiller Steve Nally had his hand in this blended product.
The Tasting
I sincerely appreciate the transparency from the brand. From the website, we learn that this whiskey is a blend of 3 bourbons and 1 malt whiskey. Here are the details:
51% 4 Year Wheated Indiana Bourbon: 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley (likely from MGP).
36% 4 Year 4-Grain Kentucky Bourbon: 60% corn, 26% rye, 10% wheat, 4% malted barley (likely from Bardstown Bourbon Company).
5% 12 Year Kentucky Bourbon: 89% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley (likely from Barton Distillery).
8% 6 Year Colorado Single Malt: 100% malted barley.
Eye: Golden straw with evenly spaced spidery legs in my Glencairn glass.
Nose: Sweet vanilla, fruit jam, honey, dried hay, and tobacco. There’s really a lot going on here and it’s very lovely and inviting.
Palate: Exceptionally smooth and silky. Creamy with fruit notes, vanilla, toasted oak, malted milk chocolate balls, and deep complexity.
Finish: Medium-long with vanilla and dry oak, ending in rye spice.
Overall: Blended whiskey often equates to sub-par whiskey. This is one that stands apart from the rest. This is a blended whiskey that is unique and actually quite good. When you look at the components, it is an unusual marriage of spirits: a wheated bourbon, a four-grain bourbon, a well-aged bourbon, and a malt whiskey.While much of the whiskeys are youthful, this does not come off in the least as a “young whiskey” - rather, quite the contrary. This is smooth and rich and very enjoyable.
Ultimately, the question comes down to value - is this worth the nearly $60 price tag. Hmmm … Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Would I buy it again for $60? That’s harder to say. It iis a little pricey for the uniqueness. Whiskey Alpha - defined as “bang for the buck” - Barmen 1783 Bourbon might be a better value.
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