This Limited-Edition Whiskey Is an Incredible Value for Its High Age Statement
The holidays are the time for giving and receiving. There’s nothing better than drinking some whiskey for a good cause this holiday season either, which is why I'm enjoying Tincup Fourteener Bourbon.
Tincup, founded in 2008, is based in Denver, CO. The Centennial State is home to more than 50 peaks that exceed 14,000 feet, also known as fourteeners to locals. I’ve summited the majority of these majestic peaks over the years.
Climbing mountains and drinking whiskey, two of my favorite things, combine into one delicious package with this new release. The best part is that a portion of proceeds from Tincup Fourteener Bourbon goes to the Colorado Fourteener Initiative (CFI), which aims to protect and preserve Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks.
It's Tincup’s third edition of Fourteener Bourbon. This particular version is named in honor of Mt. Sneffels, a mountain that can’t help but inspire a sense of adventure and awe. Mt. Sneffels is situated between Ouray and Telluride in one of the state’s most rugged mountain ranges. The 14,147-foot mountain one of the most photographed in the state.
The first two releases in the Fourteener series were named after Longs Peak and Mount Elbert. I’ve tried both bourbons and found them to be amazing for the price of around $70. Even Tincup’s standard bottle is a bargain at around $30, which I always keep in stock.
David Young
“The whiskey is not too different year-to-year. The process is very constant across the board,” Jason Levinson, a whiskey educator for Proximo Spirits, told Men's Journal. “It is phenomenal again this year, just like last year.”
Fourteener is bourbon aged for fourteen years—the oldest Tincup makes—in new white American oak barrels and then cut to 84 proof with pure Eldorado Spring water, voted the best water in the world by the Berkeley Springs Water Tasting Competition. Levinson says that using such high-quality water adds to the complexity and softness of the bourbon.
Levinson says that the whiskey includes familiar notes of vanilla, sugar cookie, caramel, syrup, and butterscotch. But he also notices a lot of stone fruit flavors like chocolate-covered cherry, apricot, and peach. When tasting myself, I detected sweet caramel, vanilla, creme brûlée, and pear notes.
“For me, it’s a fruit bomb,” Levinson said. “Compared to the 10-year, all the fruit notes are turned up to 11. That four years in age makes a big difference.”
Whether you like 14-year-old whiskey, climbing fourteeners, or both, the Tincup Fourteener Bourbon is a great gift to give or receive this holiday, and one that keeps on giving through CFI’s conservation efforts. Tincup Fourteener Bourbon sells at select retailers nationwide and online for $71.