Celebrating National Bourbon HERITAGE Month with Laws Whiskey House: Why Colorado Bourbon Should Be on Your Radar
Celebrating National Bourbon Heritage Month with Laws Whiskey House: Why Colorado Bourbon Should Be on Your Radar
September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, and while Kentucky may be known as the birthplace and historic heart of bourbon, there is one misconception worth clearing up:
Bourbon does not have to come from Kentucky.
Bourbon is an American whiskey, and today some exciting bourbon is being made well beyond Kentucky—including right here in Colorado.
If you are a whiskey or bourbon lover, Colorado bourbon should be on your radar. From locally grown grains to high-altitude aging and a climate unlike traditional bourbon-producing regions, Colorado brings its own character to America’s native spirit.
At Laws Whiskey House, we have spent more than 15 years exploring exactly what Colorado can bring to the glass.
WHAT MAKES BOURBON A BOURBON
The whiskey world is filled with different classifications, from Scotch and Irish whiskey to rye, wheat whiskey and bourbon.
One easy way to remember some of the defining characteristics of bourbon is what we like to call the ABC’s of Bourbon:
A: American
Bourbon must be produced in the United States.
B: Brand-New Charred Oak
Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak containers.
C: Corn
The mash bill must contain at least 51% corn.
There are additional production requirements that legally define bourbon, but these three basics help explain what sets the category apart.
So while Kentucky has an incredibly important place in bourbon history, bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States.
And that brings us to Colorado.
WHY COLORADO BOURBON?
Terroir Starts with the Grain
Laws Whiskey House is a Denver distillery built around a simple philosophy: There Are No Shortcuts.
Everything we have ever put in a bottle has been distilled, aged and bottled at our facilities in Denver using Colorado-grown grain.
For us, where whiskey comes from matters.
Our corn comes from Whiskey Sisters Supply in Burlington, Colorado, while our wheat, rye and barley are grown and malted by the Cody family of Colorado Malting Company in the San Luis Valley.
We work with heirloom and heritage grains selected for flavor rather than maximum commodity yield.
That matters because whiskey begins long before it reaches a barrel.
We consider Laws a terroir-driven distillery. The soil, elevation, climate, grain varieties and the farmers growing them all play a role in what eventually ends up in your glass.
Our bold, grain-forward whiskey would not exist without those Colorado farms.
LAWS FOUR GRAIN BOURBON
All bourbon must contain at least 51% corn, but what comes after the corn can dramatically change the finished whiskey.
Many bourbon mash bills use either wheat or rye as a flavor grain.
At Laws, we wanted both.
Our signature Four Grain Bourbon mash bill is:
- 60% corn
- 20% wheat
- 10% rye
- 10% malted barley
The wheat contributes approachability and richness, while the rye adds spice and complexity. Barley and corn round out a bourbon designed to let all four grains show themselves.
We use a longer, more detailed cooking process to capture the flavor of each individual grain before fermentation and distillation.
Again: There Are No Shortcuts.
A COLORADO BOURBON FOR EVERY WHISKEY DRINKER
One of the best ways to celebrate National Bourbon Month is simply to explore how different one bourbon can taste from another.
The Laws bourbon lineup gives you plenty of ways to do exactly that.
Our Four Grain Bourbon is the flagship expression at 95 proof, showcasing the grain-forward character at the center of Laws.
For those looking for more intensity, Four Grain Cask Strength Bourbon lets the whiskey speak at a higher proof.
Our Four Grain Bottled in Bond Bourbon showcases additional age and structure. Laws became the first distillery in Colorado to release a bonded bourbon, and today our bonded bourbon is aged seven years.
For an approachable introduction to Laws, Founder’s Select Bourbon offers another expression of our bourbon mash bill built for sipping, cocktails and everyday occasions.
Different proofs. Different ages. Different expressions.
The same Colorado-grown foundation.
COLORADO BOURBON MEETS COLORADO FOOTBALL
September does not just mean Bourbon Month.
It also means college football is back.
As the Official Whiskey of CU Athletics, Laws offers two special Four Grain Bourbon expressions built around Colorado pride.
Ralphie’s Reserve Straight Bourbon is a sweeter expression of our Four Grain Bourbon bottled at 90 proof and made for game day, whether poured neat or mixed into a cocktail. A portion of proceeds supports the Ralphie Live Mascot Program.
Black & Gold Select brings a richer, older expression of Laws Four Grain Bourbon at 110 proof, created in collaboration with members of CU Athletics. Proceeds from the program also help support Colorado student-athletes.
Colorado whiskey. Colorado spirit. Colorado pride.
THE HEADWATERS SERIES: WHISKEY CONNECTED TO COLORADO
Our connection to Colorado also extends beyond the grain.
The Laws Headwaters Series explores the relationship between Colorado whiskey and the waterways that shape our state.
Each release connects a Laws whiskey with one of Colorado’s important river systems while supporting organizations working to protect and restore those watersheds.
It is another reminder that for Laws, making Colorado whiskey means thinking about the entire place it comes from—from farms and water to climate and community.
WHAT DOES COLORADO CLIMATE DO TO BOURBON?
Colorado is not Kentucky, and we do not want it to be.
Denver’s elevation, dry climate and dramatic temperature changes create a distinct environment for aging whiskey.
As temperatures rise and fall, whiskey moves in and out of the oak barrel, extracting flavor and developing character over time.
Combined with Colorado-grown grains, our environment helps create the bold, grain-forward profile that defines Laws Whiskey House.
That is what makes exploring regional American whiskey so interesting.
Bourbon has rules.
But within those rules, there is an incredible amount of room for place to make an impact.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL BOURBON MONTH IN DENVER
If you love bourbon, September is the perfect excuse to explore something beyond the familiar.
And if you have not tasted Colorado bourbon, Laws Whiskey House is a good place to start.
Shop our collection of Four Grain Bourbon expressions or visit the Laws Whiskey Sanctuary in Denver to experience them where they are made.
Take a distillery tour. Join us for a guided tasting. Explore our different bourbon expressions. And see for yourself what more than 15 years of Colorado grain, Colorado climate and a no-shortcuts approach can bring to American whiskey.
Bourbon may be an American spirit, but ours is distinctly Colorado.
