Colorado Distiller's Whiskey Once Again Named One of the Best in the World

Spirit Hound Distillers has once again earned top honors at the London International Spirits Competition. The Lyons-based distillery was awarded 2024 Whisky of the Year in the American Single Malt category as well as Best in Show – Americas; in 2022, its Straight Malt Whisky was named Whisky of the Year and received the highest quality rating of any U.S.-based spirit in the competition.

“What excites me is the validation that our malt whisky is really good,” says head distiller Craig Engelhorn, adding that the awards are given by seasoned judges based on a blind tasting. He still uses the same recipe for the spirit that the distillery started with over a decade ago. The malt is all grown in Colorado, but this year there was one difference: The winning whiskey was finished in used honey barrels.

This is how the process works: A barrel that once contained whiskey is sent to local honey producer Bee Squared, where 300 pounds of honey are aged in the barrels for three months. Once that honey is removed, the barrel returns to Spirit Hound, where the whiskey is poured in and finished for another three months, which adds complexity and a bit of sweetness.
The spirit can be used in any whiskey cocktail recipe and makes an outstanding hot toddy, Engelhorn notes. The 90-proof whiskey has an aroma of bright honey notes and dried apricots with a slightly earthy, smoky taste. It also won Double Gold at the 2019 Breckenridge Spirits Competition.

Spirit Hound earned 2024 London International Spirits Competition medals for its Cafe Colorado coffee liqueur and New American Gin as well. The coffee for Cafe Colorado is mindfully sourced with Colombian mild beans and Ethiopian Yirgecheffe beans, resulting in a bold, creamy 40-proof liqueur with notes of sweet vanilla and a caramel finish.

Last August, Spirit Hound opened a Denver tasting room at 3266 Tejon Street, taking over the former Mythology Distillery space in LoHi, where it hosts cocktail classes and events such as trivia and comedy.
The original Lyons location, where all production takes place, has undergone a renovation and expansion, which includes a large outdoor patio. Englehorn notes that the tasting room can now make cocktails faster, as well, which is helpful during the busy season, when visitors often stop by on their way to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Lyons outpost also hosts various events, including live music, Science + Spirits presentations, distillery tours, art classes and more. The next phase of the expansion is increasing distillation so Spirit Hound can produce more products. 

Spirit Hound is prioritizing creating new products, too. Some of the distillery's new by-the-bottle offerings were inspired by popular tasting-room options, including a strawberry basil-infused gin and a hot pepper-infused vodka. “We need to continue to innovate and show we’re not a one-trick pony,” Engelhorn concludes.

For more information, including tasting room hours and upcoming events, visit spirithounds.com.