Review: Spirit Hound American Single Malt Whisky Single Barrels (2025)
A distinctive aspect of Colorado based Spirit Hound Distillery’s Single Malt Whisky is that they don’t blend their whisky barrels to create a house profile. Instead, all of their whiskies are drawn from single barrels. This means great variation can be found among bottles drawn from different barrels and two people trying the brand might find themselves drinking very different whiskies. We had the chance to review one of their single malts last year, and it was solid, but I recently had the chance to try five separate barrels to see the range of flavors and character of Spirit Hound Distillery’s whiskies. What I learned is that they are very different indeed, and some are absolutely delicious. Now billed as American Single Malt Whiskies, all of them are made from a mash bill that includes 75% pale malt, 9% crystal malt, and 18% peated malt. Further details follow, though note that some of these are no longer readily available.
Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Whisky Barrel #1, 7 years old, 90 proof – This is the first barrel of whisky that Spirit Hound ever made, and it is just delightful. Speaking with the Head Distiller, Craig Engelhorn, I learned that he believes 2-3 years is the ideal amount of aging for whisky made in Colorado, but this 7-year-old shows no signs of being too old. It has a sweet nose, offering aromas of burnt sugar, crème brûlée, and almond. The palate follows suit and introduces more complexity: vanilla custard, burnt sugar, almond, and a tingle on the tongue that I usually enjoy in whiskies made in Campbeltown, Scotland. There is a bit of peat here, but just a touch that rounds off the finish. This a well-rounded whisky with no sharp edges. Lovely stuff and terribly easy to keep drinking. A / $NA
Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Whisky Barrel #88, 6 years old, 135.7 proof – Full proof, this whisky is bold but surprisingly approachable. The nose shows honey, heather, banana, burnt sugar, and heat. On the palate, caramelized banana and burnt sugar join with the whisky’s high proof burn. With water, the whisky shows much more nuance, and I recommend adding it generously. The Campbeltown tingle appears with water and harmonizes beautifully with notes of caramelized banana, vanilla wafer, honey, and heather. I may like it even more than the first. A- / $NA
Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Whisky Barrel #287, 3 years old, 125.8 proof – Although this whisky was aged for less than 4 years, it shows surprising signs of maturity. The nose offers nutty brown sugar and a bit of candy corn. The palate is sweet but well balanced with notes of pecan, crème caramel, apple, white pepper, and a whisper of smoke. The heat is there, but it is drinkable neat. The finish is long as the sweet notes disappear into a whiff of smoke. B+ / $NA
Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Whisky Barrel #446, 2 years old, 90 proof – Even younger, and now at lower proof, this whisky naturally shows a gentler nose, but it presents sweet notes of brown sugar and burnt sugar along with a touch of smoke. The palate offers caramel, walnut, and milk chocolate with a bit of eucalyptus. Without knowing the age statement, I would never have guessed this was less than 3 years old. B / $63
Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Whisky Barrel #448, 2 years old, 90 proof – The nose offers light notes of caramel, cherry, and a touch of sawdust. This one tastes a bit young, but only a bit. The palate opens sweet, with cereal grains, gentle vanilla, and chocolate. I’d like the flavors to be a bit more assertive, but the whisky is enjoyable and shows no sharp edges. B / $63
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