Wildfires are becoming more frequent in the American West, a sad fact that can be attributed to climate change for the most part. One Colorado distillery has decided to try to turn a particularly bad event into something positive, or at least something drinkable, by using aspen wood that was burned in a wildfire to finish its new Big Blaze Bourbon.
Denver distillery Locke + Co. has been making whiskey since 2016, and the bourbon and rye that it produces is aged in new charred oak barrels before having aspen wood discs submerged into the liquid for a period of time (usually around five to eight months). If that sounds familiar, that’s because it is similar to the process used by another Colorado distillery, 291, which finishes its whiskeys with toasted aspen staves. Apparently, they love their aspen in the Centennial State. The distillery’s recycling of fire-damaged wood to make whiskey brings to mind other efforts, like Oregon winery Patricia Green Cellars which used wildfire smoke-tainted grapes to make brandy that was blended into a pair of innovative whiskeys.
In 2020, the East Troublesome Fire became the second largest wildfire in Colorado history, burning over 190,000 acres before it was contained. The Locke + Co. team decided to use aspen trees that were burned in the fire, cutting them into discs to submerge into the whiskey to create a unique flavor profile. According to the distillery, the bourbon is a blend of high rye and high wheat mashbills that was distilled in Texas which was aged for more than two years in 53 gallon new charred oak barrels before being finished with the burned wood discs. We were not able to sample the whiskey, but tasting notes describe a subtle smokiness on the palate, along with notes of maple, cinnamon, white pepper, and toasted walnuts.
Locke + Co. is using this as an opportunity to give back to the local community. A portion of the proceeds from sales of Big Blaze Bourbon will go to support the Grand Fire Protection District No. 1 in Granby, Colorado to help prevent future wildfires and support the firefighters who battle these blazes. For now, Big Blaze Bourbon is only available at stores, bars, and restaurants in Grand County, Colorado. But you can find other releases, like the Aspen Aged Rye Whiskey, available to purchase from ReserveBar.
