Editor’s Note: This ready to drink cocktail was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
The founders of Denver-based Mile High Spirits had a vision of creating high quality liquor made with local ingredients at an affordable price. The majority of their spirits and bottled cocktails sit around $30, with single barrel releases being the exception at around $60. However, even at the higher single barrel price point, Mile High Spirits has made it far more financially accessible than many local craft spirits.
The distillery clearly wants to make themselves accessible to the casual drinker through their branding in addition to their pricing. The marketing script on the back backs of bottles and their website is very conversational without jargon that might alienate someone unfamiliar with whiskey. Sometimes “relatable” copy like this can come across as over the top and fake, but it actually made me chuckle a few times, which surprised me.
I love the bottle art. The bottles of all their spirits and cocktails have paintings on them, all done in a cohesive style. I’m more used to seeing this type of art on wine bottles, but I think it really works here. These bottles would pop out at me at liquor stores and are adding flare to my liquor cabinet.
Mile High Spirits overs several experiences for those in the Denver area to experience their products. Their “barrel room” is a private event space surrounded by barrels of aging whiskey. Their “tasting room” is a bigger space with live music Thursdays through Sundays and a large dance floor.
Tasting Notes: Mile High Spirits Fireside Old Fashioned
Details: The Fireside Old Fashioned is a bottled cocktail featuring Mile High Spirits Fireside bourbon, natural cherry flavoring, fresh orange peels, and angostura bitters. No prep is required in mixing up the cocktail, just add ice! The drink is 40% ABV and can be ordered online for $30.
Impressions: Ok, this is absolutely delicious! I’m often not a huge fan of ready-made cocktails. I usually find they are too sweet or the balance of flavors is off from what I’d expect from the cocktail they are replicating. That is not the case here. The orange is bright, the cherry doesn’t taste artificial. The sweetness reminded me of rock candy, but was not cloying or overpowering. The bite of alcohol is well masked with the flavors and sweetness, so it is very smooth going down.
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If I order a cocktail it is usually an old-fashioned or manhattan, and I have to say if I was served this at a bar I wouldn’t bat an eye. In fact, I might even order a second.
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