Editor’s Note: This whiskey 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.
Touted as one of the highest distilleries in the world, Breckenridge Distillery opened its doors in 2008 at 9,600 ft. Things got even higher for Founder Bryan Nolt, a former doctor obsessed with whiskey, when Canadian cannabis-lifestyle company Telray acquired the distillery in 2021. Apart from collaborating with the Denver Broncos, one particular project from Breckenridge Distillery is now on its third annual release.
The Collectors Art Series first began with a Straight Bourbon Whiskey, which was one-hundred percent grain-to-glass featuring the artwork of Denver muralist Thomas “Detour” Evans. The second release in the series was an XO Cognac finished bourbon featuring the art of Alexandrea Pangburn. This third release is a little more unique as it is finished in a PX Naranja cask featuring the art of installation artist Sandra Fettingis.
The artwork for the label created by Fettingis shouts citrus with brightly hued colors inspired by the PX Naranja cask. For the Collectors Art Series 3, Breckenridge Distillery chose a 20-year-old Pedro Ximenez sherry cask with Seville orange peels macerating for eight months. Seville orange peels are extremely sour and bitter.
I look forward to seeing how the Collectors Art Series 3 tastes on its own as the distillery shares what looks like a delicious cocktail made with the PX Naranja Cask Finish on its site.
Tasting Notes: Breckenridge Distillery Collectors Art Series 3 PX Naranja Cask Finish
Vital Stats: 48% ABV, 96 proof. Colorado bourbon finished in a PX Naranja cask. Limited edition available only at Breckenridge Distillery.
Appearance: Citrine
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Nose: The first inhale made my nose crinkle up. Immediately hit with acetone or isopropyl alcohol and musty orange, I had a flashback to Billy Mays shouting about the grease-fighting power of Orange Clean. Powering through, myself, it took a while for the sweet scent of confectionery sugar and stone fruit. There is a slight nuttiness from marzipan, but there is a harsher element trying to break through above all this— it’s the scent of a piece of notebook paper written with permanent marker.
Palate: The aroma is more enjoyable than the palate. It is certainly one of the most bitter and intense whiskeys I have tasted. The isopropyl alcohol from the nose is intensified on the tongue. There are a bunch of baking spices, mainly cinnamon and clove that give the whiskey its depth. However, the finish takes a sharp turn with permanent marker and a metallic taste that lingers after sipping.
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