I had a sip of Stranahan's Colorado whiskey today. It is a malt whiskey made with 'beer' from the Flying Dog Brewery, which makes a number of very good beers. Based on that taste I bought a bottle for a bit under $50.
Now come I to tell you what I think of it. It is made in small batches in what is, I suppose, a microdistillery. The distillate is aged for about two years in new charred oak barrels. It is bottled at 94 proof. My particular bottle is from batch #8.
The nose is very malty, as you might expect, but also has some nice vanilla and a faint echo of the charred barrel and a faint whiff of leather. It also betrays its beer ancestry in an interesting way, there being a slight cast of a pale ale. The alcohol is unobtrusive.
The taste is sweet, being just this side of sticky. Mid way through there is a nice jolt of spice that lays down a backbone to hold the flavors.
The finish is more than respectable with both the sweetness and the spice holding a spirited conversation.
Overall I think this is a very good whiskey. I find no serious shortcomings and am enjoying it very much. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
I think the somewhat similiar St George's single malt whiskey betrays its beer heritage even more than Stranahan's. It also seems closer to an Irish Whiskey than to an American Whiskey, which is not to say that it is not a good product, because I do like it too.
I find Stranahan's just a skosh closer to American whiskey because it has a bit more spice.
Neither of these whiskies tastes immature to me, and neither has a raw edge.