This season we have taken the traditional Advent calendar and made it boozy for the bar, all with Colorado products*. The gifting adventure started on December 1, and we have posted an opening each day. Now, after 12 days of Christmas fun, here’s a run down of what we got, and a couple ways to use it. And, if you missed the daily story, check out the progress in our Instagram highlights.
Day 1: Stranahan’s Mountain Angel Whiskey
What a joy to toast the season with Stranahan’s Mountain Angel Whiskey. The unique tipple is the first 10-year-old straight American single malt whiskey on the market, and the distillery itself has been at the forefront of spirit category. On the nose you’ll experience rich notes of dark cherry and little smoke. The finish gives way to long and luxurious nuances of brown sugar, dark molasses, and hints of caramel. Each bottle retails for $119.
Day 2: Candy Cane Vodka From Breckenridge Distillery
You can’t go wrong with peppermint anything this season, and the playful spirit from Breckenridge Distillery adds a bit of holiday cheer to hot cocoa, Espresso Martinis, and White Russians. And, for $28.99 a bottle, it’s the perfect drink to leave Santa on Christmas Eve.
Day 3: Snow Fox Cocktail Shaker
Though *this company isn’t local, it’s hard not to love the marble cocktail shaker Snow Fox makes. It’s a sleek, well-crafted, and elegant addition to the bar, even it’s not really made out of rock. Instead, the $40 shaker comprises of stainless steel, which is a lot lighter than marble.
Day 4: Espresso Vodka by Breckenridge Distillery
Did we say Candy Cane Espresso Martini before? Infused with Colorado decaf espresso, which gets cold-infused with Breckenridge Distillery’s vodka, the tipple zings with coffee energy. It’s not just for martinis, use the flavored vodka in a variety of drinks from hot coffee, hot chocolate, or even mixed with the distillery’s bourbon to make a coffee-tinged Old Fashioned. Each bottle retails for $22.99.
Day 5: Law’s Whiskey House’s Honey Cask Bourbon
The first step in making the latest whiskey at Law’s Whiskey House started with the distillery’s Four Grain Straight Bourbon. The whiskey-soaked barrels were filled with Colorado honey. After the honey was harvested, a new batch of Four Grain Straight Bourbon went in, creating the first Honey Cask Bourbon ($84.99). It’s great solo, mixed into a Bee’s Knees, or even in a Hot Toddy.
Day 6: NAV Tumbler by Bru Mate
The new 25-ounce NAV by Bru Mate is 100-percent leakproof, which means when you build a drink to-go you can pop it in your bag without worrying. Plus, the $35.99 tumbler keeps warm drinks the right temperature, perfect for caroling, walking around to look at Christmas lights, and hiking out to cut down a tree.
Day 7: Whiskey Barrel Aged Honey from Bee Squared Apiary
Now that we tasted whiskey infused with the nuances of honey, we are happy to try the honey infused with the nuances of whiskey. Beth Conrey started her honey business in Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties over 20 years ago, keeping the company small and thoughtful of the land. With the hint of whiskey in the sweet golden liquid, the $18, 12-ounce bottle is the perfect addition to the bar.
Bonus Recipe: Hot Toddy For a 25-Ounce Tumbler
Now, it’s time to make a hot toddy with the honey bourbon, honey, and tumbler. All you need is a lemon and maybe a chunk of fresh ginger if you want to give it more of a kick.
- 1 1/2 cups hot, but not quiet boiling water
- 3 ounces whiskey
- 4 to 6 teaspoons of honey, more or less for taste
- 4 to 6 teaspoons lemon juice
- Sliced lemon round for garnish
- Add honey to tumbler.
- Pour hot water over honey and mix until honey is dissolved.
- Add lemon juice and bourbon.
- Gently stir, garnish, and enjoy!
Day 8: Cabernet Sauvignon Blanchard Family Wine
What joy to unwrap a lovely bottle of juicy red wine. Mark and James Blanchard started their California wine business in 2008. After falling in love with Colorado, James opened the Denver tasting room in 2018, now located in the alley of the Dairy Block. It’s a great place to sample reds, whites, and bubbles. The wine also makes for a lovely treat under the tree.
Day 9: Nordic Tonic by Strongwater
Nick Andresen started Strongwater after he learned about Scandinavian folk medicine and Asian herbal tonics. Tapping into his culture as a half-Norwegian, half-Korean, he began making tonics, mixers, zero-proof drinks, and bitters in Colorado. The Nordic Tonic speaks to the northern side of his heritage, with citrus, makrut lime, lemongrass, sage, and dill infused into the sparkling water.
Day 10: Winter Gin by The Block Distilling Co.
Each season The Block Distilling Co. makes a special gin, and for the holiday time period, it’s all about winter. The small-batch gin has a golden color thanks to barrel aging, which also gives it notes of vanilla and oak. It’s smooth and cool, like sun-kissed snow speckled with frosted cranberries. Each bottle runs $45, and can be found at the distillery in RiNo.
Day 11: Cocktail Glasses by Crafted Barware
Made with lead-free crystal, these gorgeous glasses are a welcome addition to the barware side of the bar. Each set ($79.95) comes in beautiful wooden storage box, and can be ordered with either polished, hammered, or antiqued copper around the base. The copper helps keep the spirits chilled and the ice from melting too fast. Whether using to showcase the amber hues of your whiskey or making a Gin & Tonic, it’s a show stopping item.
Bonus Recipe: Winter G&T
- 2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces tonic
- Large ice cube
- Fresh cranberry and sprig of pine, juniper, or rosemary for garnish
- Add ice cube to glass and pour in gin.
- Top with tonic and gently stir.
- Add garnish and enjoy.
Day 12: Ice Mold and Branding Tool by Crafted Barware
Why not make your ice cubes even grander? After all, large cubes work so well for many stirred drinks. The silicone mold ($15.95) is perfect for that, and easy to use. As for the branding tool ($39.95), you can order your initials, or any other letters, and make each drink truly your own. The local shop Crafted Barware sells both.
