Axe and the Oak

Axe and the Oak is a small distillery making waves in Colorado Springs, CO. Conveniently located in our backyard, A&O was established in 2013, shortly after Alie and I met. Making their home in the basement of an Elementary school-turned brewery, A&O provided new options for the non-beer drinkers at Ivywild.

Because of its vicinity, we have been fortunate enough to visit and revisit their whiskey house over the years. In 2017, we attended the A&O patio opening unveiling high tops and yard games. Shortly after, their new setup was a popular stop when we held our wedding reception at the Ivywild School since the whiskey house was a short jaunt down the stairs. It is a space we love visiting for the rustic atmosphere and communal gathering spaces.

If you find yourself in Colorado Springs, wander over to Axe & Oak to taste it right from the source. If you’re a cocktail drinker, you cannot pass up their smoked old-fashioned both for the taste and experience. They’ve also got one of the best happy hour deals around serving up your grandmother’s punch bowl filled with unique concoctions to serve the whole table.

Colorado Mountain Bourbon Whiskey

This bottle really brings together the flavors I’ve come to expect from a Colorado Whiskey while still hitting the right notes to uphold its bourbon roots. The whiskey I’m reviewing is from batch 111 bottled to the tunes of Lil Wayne (yes, they do include that on their labels) and has evolved significantly from what I remember from 2017. This glow-up could be due to the additional time that Axe and the Oak has been open, giving them more time to age their whiskeys without having to rush to meet demand. Either way, this bottle was exceptional compared to my initial experience and I am eager to seek out future batches.

Our award-winning bourbon whiskey is distilled and aged in Colorado Springs for a minimum of two years in #4 charred, new American white oak barrels. The finished whiskey is blended with a small amount of Indiana bourbon and cut with fresh Rocky Mountain water. The result features vanilla and butterscotch on the nose, subtle pepper notes, and a lingering, caramel finish. Sitting at 21% rye, some may consider the Colorado Mountain Bourbon Whiskey to be a “high rye” bourbon.

Axe and the Oak

I have to admit, my Midwest roots didn’t see the Indiana Bourbon note coming. This bottle is considered a “high-rye” whiskey at 21% of the mash bill, which gives it a nice finishing spice. Typically, if your mash bill is above 20% rye, it comes with extra spice resulting in notes of cloves, nutmeg, and other holiday spices. The malted barley brings forth the Colorado “mountain whiskey” taste we have grown so accustomed to on our many visits to distilleries around Colorado.

If you haven’t read our “What is Whiskey” article, make sure you check it out. It will help introduce you to the different mash bills used in different types of whiskey.

Tasting Notes

Axe and the Oak Colorado Mountain Whiskey has a well-rounded flavor profile. I catch hints of vanilla and a little holiday spice, likely due to the higher rye content. Each sip hits with a gentle sweetness of bourbon before the taste fades into a warming heat traveling through your system. It’s this warm finish that I tend to love about bourbon, and this whiskey surfaces that same sentiment.

Alie caught the same bourbon sweetness I did, but instead, with a hint of black pepper, which is likely also attributed to the high-rye profile. Her favorite part was less about the taste and more about the way it made her feel. “It hits you with a pop of flavor but goes down really smooth. Like a boomerang, the heat starts at your lips, activates the taste buds on the back of your tongue, and slowly works its way back to the front of your mouth.” Your whole mouth gets to enjoy this one, no one component overpowering the other.

Our Scores

Drinkability: 4

Intensity: 3

Personal Preference: 4

Availability: 2

Overall: 4

Final Thoughts

This is an easy-to-drink whiskey that combines the flavor of a Colorado whiskey with a solid bourbon flavor. Overall, it is pretty smooth and goes down WAY too fast. It has a nice lingering heat but doesn’t fight its way down. The whiskey taste and sensation hang around for a long time.

It’s one of those bottles that is easy to find if you live in Colorado Springs; you can even find it at Costco for a reasonable $32.00. However, Axe and the Oak has a much more limited distribution outside of Colorado. If you happen to be somewhere between Dallas and Houston, or the Atlanta metro area, you actually might stumble upon a bottle. Outside of those few areas, there are not many liquor stores that seem to carry this bottle. Axe and the Oak do offer to ship, but they can only ship to a licensed establishment. If you happen to have a good relationship with a local liquor store, I suggest asking if they would receive a bottle for you to try it out. It’s well worth the ask.

You can also check https://www.axeandtheoak.com/findus to see if there is a liquor store near you that carries Axe and the Oak. If not, Colorado Springs is a nice place to visit, just avoid springtime. It could be 68 degrees and sunny, or you could find yourself in the middle of a blizzard that shuts down the entire city for days…

Happy exploring!