Jake Norris, the founding master distiller behind Stranahan’s Whiskey and Laws Whiskey House, is returning to the Colorado whiskey scene with a new venture called The Curated Barrel Project. The limited series of eight quarterly barrel-finished bourbon releases will debut on April 2, 2026, with bottles available exclusively online and shipped nationally.
Norris has partnered with a team that includes Scott Kerkmans, Nate Grimm, executive creative director Ryan Carver, and project engineer Gene “JB” Salem to bring the project to life. Salem previously served as master distiller for Destilería Serrallés, the Puerto Rican producer of Don Q rum.
The Curated Barrel Project serves as a precursor to a larger forthcoming distillery based in Arvada, Colorado, which will focus on small-batch craft whiskey production and contract distillation.
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READ THE STORYBecause that facility’s own whiskey will require years to mature, the team developed The Curated Barrel Project as a specialty side venture to mark Norris’ return in the interim.
The project is anchored by a seven-year-aged straight bourbon whiskey with a high-rye mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The base recipe was developed by Norris and distilled at Southern Distilling Company in Statesville, North Carolina.
The first release will feature that base bourbon in its unfinished form. Subsequent quarterly releases will showcase the whiskey transformed through exotic cask finishes using rum, Cognac, sherry, and port barrels, among others.
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Norris is widely credited with pioneering additional cask maturation in American craft whiskey through Stranahan’s celebrated Snowflake program. Over a 22-year distilling career, he has accumulated more than 100 industry awards and is recognized for producing Colorado’s first bottled-in-bond whiskey.
“I think whiskey can be an incredible medium for shared experiences. It can deepen conversations and help to foster authentic connections,” said Norris. “Every aspect of The Curated Barrel Project is designed to retrain how people interact with whiskey.”
Each bottle release will be accompanied by a physical zine created by Norris, featuring short articles, stories, tasting notes, and a curated musical playlist to pair with the corresponding whiskey.
Buyers will also have the option to purchase tickets for a whiskey pairing dinner held approximately one month after each release at the distillery. The dinners will feature a rotating lineup of celebrated Denver chefs and are designed to encourage conversation among attendees.
“Great whiskey is meant to be shared,” Norris explained. “It becomes ‘real’ when it is opened, poured, and experienced together.”
The project positions itself as an alternative to the collector-driven culture that has come to dominate limited whiskey releases. Rather than encouraging consumers to stockpile rare bottles, Norris said the aim is to prioritize drinking and communal experience.
“We hope to infuse whiskey with humanity again by encouraging our customers to pop open their bottles and share the experience with friends. Part of what makes this brand so special is that it’s truly a finite project,” said Norris. “Each release is a one-off, one-of-a-kind exotic barrel finish release. Like a great dinner with friends, once we run out of whiskey, the party is over, at least in this iteration of the project.”
The Curated Barrel Project will also offer a membership program guaranteeing a minimum of eight bottle releases, first access to whiskey dinner tickets, and a commemorative branded tote bag. Limited two-year subscriptions are currently available.
“Whiskey should be fun, creative, and communal,” Norris continued. “If you treat it like a museum piece, you’re missing the point. There’s a delicate balance of appreciating the artistry and time that went into producing a well-crafted bottle of whiskey, and using it for its intended purpose, which is for tasting and sharing. Simply put…shut up and DRINK IT!”
Tickets for the first release go on sale April 2, 2026, at 10 a.m. Mountain time. Further details are available at The Curated Barrel Project’s website.
The launch adds to a growing wave of veteran craft distillers striking out with new independent projects, reflecting broader shifts in the American whiskey market toward limited, experience-driven offerings. Colorado’s craft spirits sector has expanded significantly over the past two decades, with the state now home to more than 100 licensed distilleries, many of which trace their lineage to the pioneering work done by producers like Stranahan’s in the mid-2000s.
