One of the most exciting parts of the craft whiskey boom is that a number of great distilleries have opened in Colorado over the past several years. One such distillery is Laws Whiskey House, based in Denver, Colorado. We decided to try the Laws San Luis Valley Rye for our first review of the Laws lineup.
Alie was actually the one to select this bottle of whiskey. She had it delivered to me over the summer. She was attending her first week of class at CSU and decided to surprise me with a gift. I waited to open it because I wanted to share the bottle with her. It has been sitting at the back of the whiskey shelf, just waiting for us to crack the bottle.
The weekend before Halloween, we set out on our last camp trip for the season. We decided that Laws San Luis Valley Rye would be the perfect mid-fall whiskey to enjoy in the shadow of the snow-capped Collegiate Peaks.
Laws Whiskey House
Laws Whiskey House opened in 2011 and started crafting whiskey using heirloom grains. Their first batch was distilled on the 4th of July, in 2011. That’s an odd fact considering their founder, Al Laws, was born and raised in Western Canada.
Laws sources the grains for its whiskey from two locations in Colorado. One is in the San Luis Valley, near Alamosa, which is just a bit south of where we were camping. The other is located on the eastern plains, which are seldom visited because the plains don’t have the same allure as the mountains. Both areas are challenging agricultural areas. The San Luis Valley and the Eastern Plains experience large temperature swings and an arid climate. However, Laws believes the harsh growing environment brings out more decadent flavors allowing them to create unique flavor profiles in each of their whiskeys.
Laws San Luis Valley Rye
Laws San Luis Valley Rye whiskey is made from 95% rye and 5% barley in the mash bill. The heirloom grains are sourced from Colorado farms and aged for a minimum of 3 years. It is bottled at a respectable 95-proof. In addition to the higher proof, Laws San Luis Valley Rye is also a kosher product.
According to the label, you’ll notice the taste of mint, anise, salted toffee, orange peel, and fig. The intensity in the finish is described as “radiant serrano pepper spice.”
Tasting Notes
The first night I cracked this bottle, I noticed it was really grainy tasting. It tasted like a bland cereal with a whiskey burn. We left the bottle for a couple of days and returned to it for a second tasting. The notes below are from the night we returned to the bottle.
On the nose, I still picked up a strong cereal smell. I also noticed an herbal scent that reminded me of cooking spices. After smelling a number of spices in our rack, we landed on caraway seed. On the palate, I noticed a touch of sweet mint, followed by a grassy rye note. The delicate flavors are quickly replaced with a strong whiskey intensity that lingers on the tongue.
Alie noted that the whiskey had opened up a lot after allowing it to sit for a couple of days. She noticed the grainy rye flavor. She called it “stanky” but in a good way. She noted that the San Luis Valley Rye has a nice burn that hits right in the middle of the tongue. Alie liked it because it gave her a scotch vibe, with an American Whiskey taste.
We added a splash of water to see how it might change the whiskey. It was actually a bad move. Despite being 95 proof, adding water just washed out the flavor and made it very bland. The texture and viscosity were very well balanced. We didn’t notice it being oily or dry.
Our Ratings
Drinkability: 3.2
Personal Preference: 2.9
Intensity: 3.8
Beginner Friendly: 1.5
Availability: 3.5
Overall: 3.3
Final Thoughts
Laws San Luis Valley Rye was a very interesting pour. We didn’t like it at first, but after allowing it to rest for a few days, it opened up a lot. Although we weren’t blown away, it was a very unique and interesting whiskey.
The unique heirloom grains produce a distinct flavor that edges between being very intense while still presenting delicate flavors. Like the flash of fall color, if you blink, you might miss those flavors. You’ll want to pay close attention while tasting to get the most from Laws San Luis Valley Rye.
We absolutely loved Laws San Luis Valley Rye in cocktails. We liked it best in our Maple Whiskey Sour. The lemon juice brought out the orange peel and fig flavors. We also crafted a new cocktail using the San Luis Valley Rye, which we’ll be featuring in an upcoming post, so keep an eye out.
Laws Whiskey House is located in Denver, Colorado. If you happen to find yourself nearby, we suggest you go check them out. Their whiskey is very interesting and with several expressions in their lineup, you are sure to find one you’ll love.
Happy Exploring!
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