Travel Log: An Evening at Breckenridge Distillery to Taste the 2023 Collectors Art Series Whiskey
In June, Whiskey Raiders took a trip to Breckenridge Distillery to taste the distillery’s new Collectors Art Series release, Breckenridge Whiskey Finished in PX Naranja Cask. (Photos: David Morrow/Whiskey Raiders)
In June, Whiskey Raiders braved the 9,600-foot elevation for a trip to Breckenridge, Colorado. This writer spent a night in Breckenridge as a guest of Breckenridge Distillery. The occasion was a preview of the distillery’s third annual Collectors Art Series: Breckenridge Whiskey Finished in PX Naranja Cask.
You can click here to learn more about the new whiskey or here to read our review of it. If you’re interested in reading about the trip to Breckenridge, read on.
The trip to Breckenridge was brief but enjoyable. I got in around midday, checked into the hotel and headed over to The Pad, a hotel and event space in Silverthorne, a nearby town.
At The Pad, I got my first peek at the new whiskey bottle, as well as my first taste of it, plus enjoyed cocktails made by a Breckenridge Distillery bartender. Naranja whiskey sour (Breckenridge Collectors Art, yuzu, maple ginger and honey), Genever Juice (Breckenridge gin, rosemary and lemon) and Brown Derby (Breckenridge bourbon, grapefruit, honey and lemon) were on the menu. If you get out to Breckenridge during the summer, order the Genever Juice — it’s a quintessential summer cocktail.
We chatted about the new release over cocktails and the new whiskey, which was a splendid, rich pour.
Each year for the Collectors Art Series, Breckenridge Distillery commissions a Colorado artist to create a piece of artwork to accompany the whiskey. This year’s art was designed by street artist Sandra Fettingis, who painted it in mural form in Silverthorne. The art is also featured on the label of the Collectors Art Series bottle.
At one point during the gathering, we took a stroll through Silverthorne to see the mural, which Fettingis was wrapping up.
This Pride-themed mural was painted in June 2022 on a sidewalk outside of The Pad in Silverthorne. A year later, it’s held up pretty well.
Sandra Fettingis is pictured with her nearly completed mural.
After meeting Fettingis, we walked back to The Pad and shortly thereafter departed for Breckenridge Distillery.
At the distillery, we were given a brief tour, where we saw the Breckenridge stills — each named after a different Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle — and enjoyed a pour of whiskey.
Our tour guide at Breckenridge Distillery pours us samples of a single-barrel whiskey, which is served exclusively at Breckenridge tours. The whiskey was very nice — dessert-forward if a bit youthfully grainy and woody. It delivered notes of custard, peanut brittle, rising bread, brown sugar, apple pie, peaches and cream, vanilla, cherries and butterscotch on the nose; oak, more peanut brittle, fudge, buttercream frosting and caramel on the palate; and a long, chocolatey finish with fudge, icing, cookie dough, bananas foster, butterscotch and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. This sample whiskey had all the bones of being something great but suffered from its low proof. A barrel-proof version would be spectacular.
After the tour, we sat down for dinner at the Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant. We were seated in a private room, where drab elevator music played until Breckenridge Distillery Marketing Director Jessie Unruh asked for the playlist be changed to “Something Wu-Tang-ish.” Her request was quickly granted, and “Check It Out” by Das EFX began to blare.
While waiting for dinner, we ordered drinks from an excellent cocktail menu, including “The Godfather,” a delicious smoked cocktail made from Breckenridge’s Two Clans Blended Whiskey (a blend of of Breckenridge’s popular Dark Arts Malt Mash and peated Highlands scotch) and in-house Amaretto.
If you ever enjoy a meal at the Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant (you should), don’t skip “The Godfather.” This smoked cocktail is sublime.
For dinner, we shared the Fitch Ranch Wet Aged Tomahawk Ribeye and Garlic Rubbed Creekstone Prime Rib, which were both delectable. The rest of the meal was superb, as well. We sampled much of the menu, including Smoked Pork Belly Buns, Red Rockfish Ceviche, Native American Corn Uchepo, Butter Poached Maine Lobster Roll, Butter Braised Mushrooms and Charred Broccoli.
The prime rib was delicious…
… but not quite as delicious as the tomahawk ribeye, which was a stunning cut of meat.
The Native American Corn Uchepo was a highlight of the meal.
The dinner concluded with a trio of desserts: salted caramel ice cream topped by popcorn, chocolate chip cookies and bananas foster.
Stuffed to the gills, I departed the distillery, slept in the hotel and headed home the next morning. Thanks to Breckenridge Distillery for hosting a wonderful evening!
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