Now on the shelves – Distillery Exclusive Colorado Brewer’s Cask!
07/25/23
It’s summertime, and what better way to enjoy the warm sunshine than to get outdoors and have fun on the water! Canoes have enjoyed a long tradition in Colorado, where rivers sometimes rush as they wind through the mountains and red rock canyons, traveling more than 100,000 miles and filling lakes and reservoirs throughout the state.
Where there are rivers, there are canoes, and people enjoying nature’s splendor with the Rocky Mountains as inspiration.
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey is excited to announce an innovative collaboration with Sanborn Canoe Company, which has handcrafted artisan canoes using wood from reclaimed Stranahan’s Blue Peak whiskey barrels. Together, they came up with a product greater than the sum of its parts.
While it may not seem so on the surface, the two companies have much in common.
Stranahan’s is a distinguished American Single Malt whiskey brand making handcrafted spirits using the finest ingredients and crisp, clear Rocky Mountain snowmelt to create fine American single malts.
Sanborn canoes and paddles are made by hand using traditional, time-honored methods, much like Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey. Custom built from white American oak barrels previously used to age Stranahan’s Blue Peak, each canoe is a functional work of art designed to inspire a sense of adventure and enhance time spent in nature with family or good friends.
This unique partnership unites two brands with an established commitment to exceptional craftsmanship and adventurous spirit, a remarkable fusion that celebrates their shared appreciation for quality, innovation and the great outdoors.
These beautiful, lightweight canoes will take you places you couldn’t go otherwise, helping you enjoy the best things in life: the stillness of nature, good friends, great whiskey, and the unmatched pleasure of paddling a high-quality canoe to destinations as yet undiscovered.
Sanborn’s branded Stranahan’s canoes are made by hand, and much like Stranahan’s whiskey, it’s a process that takes time, care, and meticulous attention to detail.
From the staves, to the lids and even the metal hoops, Sanborn utilizes all parts of Stranahan’s whiskey barrels in building this limited-edition canoe.
Whiskey barrels are shipped to Sanborn from the distillery, where they are broken down. Each stave is then placed in a steam box to flatten out the curve and then cut into thin strips to form the inside of the canoe.
The canoe’s outer shell is made from high-tech materials that make it more durable and impervious to water, but as much of the original barrel details are preserved, including stamps and brands. Finally, the vessel is finished with Stranahan’s logo, Blue Peak colors, and branding that highlights the partnership.
The bespoke Stranahan’s x Sanborn Canoe is a custom design of the 14’5” Tennessean Tandem / Solo, a classic model from Sanborn designed to do it all. Featuring two seats and weighing 45 pounds, the Tennessean transfers easily in and out of the water. It’s spacious enough for two, but can also be heavily loaded for longer solo trips.
Like the work of art that it is, the canoe and paddles will be on display at the distillery. Orders must be placed online with Sanborn and will ship from their workshop in Minnesota.
Each canoe is made to order and requires time to complete. Once the order is placed, the Blue Peak barrels are shipped from the distillery to the Sanborn workshop, and the process begins.
Leftover staves from Stranahan’s whiskey barrels are merged with cedar strips to create wilderness canoe paddles, which are then hand-shaped before receiving the same resin and fiberglass treatment used to make the canoe.
Each canoe is custom built and takes time to create. But if you order today, you’ll be on the water with plenty of summertime left, and a long, temperate Rocky Mountain fall to enjoy.
Just imagine the water, like glass, as the sun peeks over the horizon. Your canoe slips silently into the river, sending a gentle wake rippling away from the hull, the paddle cutting softly through the surface as it moves you to your destination. Once you arrive, it’s time to kick back and take in the scenery. You breathe deeply of the mountain air and set camp for the day.
A little fishing to relax, some rainbow trout on the line, a fire to cook it up, and the day is complete with a dram or two of Stranahan’s Blue Peak American Single Malt. Only a whiskey this fine could be worthy of this moment, its rich, creamy palate warming the soul with its sweetness and a finish as big and rich as the Colorado sky. Visit Stranahan’s today to learn more about our Sanborn Canoe Company partnership and indulge your senses in our small-batch American single malt whiskey.
