Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof is the bottle that put this Colorado craft brand on the map, named Bourbon of the Year at Fred Minnick's 2024 ASCOT Awards, where it bested titans like George T. Stagg and E.H. Taylor in a blind tasting of professional judges. It is a four grain straight bourbon built on a proprietary mash bill of heirloom blue corn, yellow corn, rye and malted barley, making Smokeye Hill the first bourbon to feature heirloom blue corn, a varietal cherished by the indigenous peoples of the Southwest for centuries that lends a distinctive floral, earthy richness. The brand draws its name and lore from a rugged stretch of the American Southwest, where Prohibition era bootleggers reportedly hung bells on their roaming mules to warn of lawmen rounding the bend. The whiskey is crafted to Smokeye Hill's recipe in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, then trucked to Colorado Springs, where it is barreled and aged a minimum of five years at high elevation in new American white oak barrels of various sizes and char levels. It is bottled uncut and non chill filtered, straight from the barrel, so the whiskey arrives in its most unadulterated form and the exact strength varies from batch to batch. This bottle comes in at a bold 132 proof. It pours a deep, rich mahogany and opens with an inviting nose of caramelized brown sugar, vanilla, tobacco and oak. The palate is full and concentrated, layering vanilla, caramel and honeysuckle with dark fruit, cacao, baking spice and toasted oak, while the high proof gives real weight and depth. The finish is long and warming, with lingering vanilla, nougat and sweet oak. A serious, award winning barrel proof bourbon, it is best enjoyed neat with a few drops of water to open it up.
ABV / Proof
| Brand |
Smokeye Hill |
| Producer |
Smokeye Hill Whiskey / Hazelwood Spirits Co. (Colorado Springs, CO) |
| Category |
Straight Bourbon (barrel proof, Blue Corn) |
| Mashbill |
Four grain: heirloom blue corn, yellow corn, rye, malted barley |
| Age |
5 Years |
| Distillation |
Contract distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana; matured in Colorado Springs |
| Maturation |
New American white oak (various sizes/chars); non chill filtered, uncut |
| ABV |
66% |
| Proof |
132 |
| Bottle Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Colorado / Indiana |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep, rich mahogany.
Nose: Caramelized brown sugar, vanilla, tobacco and oak.
Palate: Vanilla, caramel and honeysuckle with dark fruit, cacao, baking spice and toasted oak.
Finish: Long and warming with lingering vanilla, nougat and sweet oak.
FAQ
What makes Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof special? It is a four grain straight bourbon made with heirloom blue corn and bottled uncut at barrel proof. It won Bourbon of the Year at Fred Minnick's 2024 ASCOT Awards.
What proof is this bottle? It is bottled at barrel proof, here 132 proof, or 66 percent alcohol by volume. Because it is bottled straight from the barrel, the exact proof varies from batch to batch.
What is the mash bill? A proprietary four grain recipe of heirloom blue corn, yellow corn, rye and malted barley, the first bourbon to feature heirloom blue corn.
Where is it made? It is contract distilled in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, then barreled, aged at least five years and bottled in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
How should I drink it? Neat first, with a few drops of water to open it up given the high proof.
Where can I buy Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
