Stranahan’s looks to set the American single malt pace
With American single malt newly certified, Stranahan’s head blender Justin Aden talks age statements and brand growth.
Proximo Spirits-owned Stranahan’s has been committed to making single malt since it was founded in 2004, making it poised to capitalise on this moment in American whiskey. In December 2024, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) formally recognised the category, a landmark moment for producers like Stranahan’s that have been betting on it all along.
Head blender Aden said while day-to-day operations haven’t changed, the new guidelines and ensuing press have generated greater awareness and excitement around the category. It has also allowed retailers to better organise these bottles in a way that serves all parties.
“We’re seeing accounts, whether it’s on-premise or off-premise, begin to make an entire shelf, or at least an entire space for the category,” Aden said. “Accounts get excited when they see that, without doing anything besides putting them all next to each other, you see a boost in sales.”
Based in Colorado, Stranahan’s is a leading producer of American single malt, with national distribution and mountains upon mountains of barrels that allow them to keep 10- and 12-year-old age-stated whiskeys in their permanent range.
“We’ve had a lot more curiosity from international single malt drinkers. They might be Americans, but they’re used to drinking Scotch or Japanese or Irish [single malt], and the first one they’re going to reach for is us,” Aden said. “Those age statements matter a lot to them. It proves that you’ve been at this for a while.”
Aden calls Stranahan’s the leader in the clubhouse in terms of age-stated American single malt, and while there may be others with older stocks, he prides himself on the availability and affordability of their older offerings.
“We are out in front of the pack, and it’s my job to make sure nobody catches up,” he said. “The reality is we’ll widen the gap. Our stuff, in this climate, believe it or not, is really well-suited to get older and older, particularly when transferred into other barrels.”
Aden said that the core Stranahan’s yellow label whiskey will soon receive a seven-year age statement, as will the brand’s Sherry cask finish. In terms of pushing the age ceiling, there will be a 14-year-old released later this year, with greater heights to follow.
“We’re going to continue to push that age statement,” he said. “We are absolutely in the early days of transitioning into an older age-stated whiskey company.”
Since Stranahan’s uses new virgin oak, Aden said he doesn’t expect the age statement to operate exactly how they do in Scotland, but that that is part of the appeal of the category, which blends American and Scottish whisky-making traditions.
“We feel very proud of our ability to carry the torch, not just for American single malt, but really for the craft whiskey movement in this country,” Aden said. “We’ve matured into something, we’re now a force to be reckoned with, enough that we’ve had an entire category of whiskey created. So it’s a lot of fun, and I’m excited for what’s next. I think the next five years, it’s going to be a great time to be a consumer.”
Related news
Discus showcases American single malts at BCB London
