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Henry Road Batch 3

Laws Whiskey House Henry Road Malt Whiskey

Henry Road is a two-lane county road in Alamosa, Colorado. Officially its named County Road 12, but the locals call it “Henry Road.” Henry Road traverses the San Luis Valley from west to east, bisecting farm fields for a number of miles. Along one of these miles is a special field on the Cody family farm and on this particular field grows some of the best barley in the world. Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey is our homage this wonderful grain and place.

San Luis Valley and Henry Road
The actual Henry Road is pictured in the image above, running across the frame

Why is the San Luis Valley Great for Growing Grains?

The Cody family farm, Henry Road and the rest of the San Luis Valley are surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains. It’s a majestic place.

What makes this valley so suitable for growing heirloom grains is the distinct environmental conditions. The Cody family farm is located at 7,500 feet, which in the summer growing season offers warm days and cool nights. Many millennia ago it was the location of a prehistoric lake, which contributes to a high level of minerality in the soil. Combined, the high elevation and unique soil stress the grains just enough to drive distinctive flavors. As a result of these factors, Henry Road is a bold spirit that stands apart in the world of American whiskeys.

Saved From Extinction

The barley in our Malt Whiskey was literally kept from extinction. The Cody family saved an ancestral variety of two-row barley that their family had grown for many years. While commercial farmers found it too low yield, the Cody’s found its unstripped flavor too glorious to let go. It’s this bold flavor that helps drive so much flavor in not only our Henry Road Malt Whiskey, but also our Four Grain Bourbon where it makes up 10% of the mash bill.

Two row barley grown on the Cody family farm

What is Malting?

Malting is the process by which a grain is steeped, thus causing germination to occur. This natural process creates malt enzymes which are needed to break down starches into sugar during the cooking/mashing process. After kick-starting germination, the grains are kilned so that germination stops. This leaves the grains ready to create simple sugars for the yeast to eat during fermentation.

Colorado Malting Company Malt Barn
“The Malt Barn” where Colorado Malting Company malts barley and other grains


What is also unique about this grain is that the Cody’s create the malt on-site at their Colorado Malting Company operation. It’s incredibly rare for a farm to also malt their grains. The Cody’s were one of the first. We are extremely thankful to have the Cody’s as our supplier for their expertise in both areas.

Cody family farm malted barley for Laws Whiskey HOuse
Ever wondered what barley looks like during the malting process?

What is Malt Whiskey?

Malt whiskey is made from malted barley grains. Some of the most well-known are from Scotland. Among other legal definitions, the two most important criteria for Scotch malt whiskies are that they are made solely from malted barley and water and they must be produced in Scotland. Single malt Scotch whisky takes the definition a step further, requiring that a whisky be made at a single distillery.

Malt whiskey is also a growing category in the United States and while American single malt hasn’t historically been defined in the same way as Scotch single malt whiskies, change is coming. The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission (ASMWC) and others within the American whiskey industry have been pushing to create a standard of identity for the term “American Single Malt” that is expected to be officially recognized in the near future. We support the work of the ASMWC and are proud that American Single Malt Whiskeys are building a reputation among whiskey drinkers across the world.

Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey from Laws Whiskey House
Henry Road Bottled in Bond Straight Malt Whiskey available this September

Bottled in Bond Malt Whiskey

Like many of our other expressions, our latest release of Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey meets the high standards of the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897. This act requires that a Bonded whiskey must be bottled at 100 proof, aged at least 4 years, made from one distilling season, and stored in a federally-bonded rack house.

Laws Whiskey House Bottled in Bond Portfolio
Laws Whiskey House’s Bottled in Bond whiskey family, including Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey

Aromas and Tastes

This is a distinctive whiskey. We find it candy-like, with flavors of sweet peanut brittle, hazelnuts, and walnuts. There are also solid apple-ly fruit notes joining a chorus of melon rind and seagrass.

  • Aromas: Apple blossom, honey and toasted oats
  • Flavors: Green apple, sugar cookie, seagrass and sweet pipe tobacco
  • Finish: Medium body, drying and lingering on the palate

About Henry Road Bottled in Bond Straight Malt Whiskey Batch 3

Laws Whiskey House Henry Road Batch 3

This is the 3rd release of a Bottled in Bond Henry Road Straight Malt Whiskey. This year’s release reaches new levels of maturity, hitting six years of total aging time. At six years old, this whiskey adopts more barrel and wood notes which accent the characteristic apple and chocolate flavors nicely. In this pure malt mash bill, we also feature small amounts of specialty malt including crystal malt, chocolate malt, and biscuit malt each of which promote flavor dimension. Its one you don’t want to miss.

  • Batch code: 3
  • Class & Type: Straight Malt Whisky
  • Bottled in Bond: Yes
  • Proof: 100
  • Mash bill: 100% heirloom malted barley
  • Fill date: August 2016 (youngest barrel in the batch)
  • Harvest date: August 2022
  • Total maturation time: 6 years
  • Batch size: 7 barrels
  • Total bottles yielded: 1,464
  • Price: $79.99
  • Availability: September 16th from our Tasting Room and in retailers throughout Colorado. Late September availability in California, Illinois, Maryland, Washington DC and on lawswhiskeyhouse.com

Cheers to all of you malt whiskey lovers,


Al Laws
Founder, Laws Whiskey House

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