Breckenridge Distillery Collectors Art Series 3 PX Naranja Cask Finish from is uplifting and supports Colorado’s local artists landed on my desk at 48% ABV, 96 proof. Here is what I found.
Nose
48% ABV, 96 proof. Colorado bourbon finished in a PX Naranja cask. Limited edition available only at Breckenridge Distillery. The first inhale made my nose crinkle up. Immediately hit with acetone or isopropyl alcohol and musty orange, I had a flashback to Billy Mays shouting about the grease-fighting power of Orange Clean. Powering through, myself, it took a while for the sweet scent of confectionery sugar and stone fruit. There is a slight nuttiness from marzipan, but there is a harsher element trying to break through above all this its the scent of a piece of notebook paper written with permanent marker. The aroma is more enjoyable than the palate. It is certainly one of the most bitter and intense whiskeys I have tasted. The isopropyl alcohol from the nose is intensified on the tongue. There are a bunch of baking spices, mainly cinnamon and clove that give the whiskey its depth. However, the finish takes a sharp turn with permanent marker and a metallic taste that lingers after sipping. Maybe the art is lost on me, but usually, there is harmony or balance even when a piece aims to provoke or make a statement. For the Breckenridge Collectors Art Series 3, the PX Naranja Cask Finished goes on my list of Coloradan whiskeys I will not sip again. The bitter Seville orange and isopropyl alcohol combination in flavor, unfortunately, has me searching for a bottle of Pepto Bismol.rnrnI even tried it in an old fashioned to no avail. I love that Breckenridge Distillery is uplifting and supports Colorado’s local artists, but the art of distilling was lost in translation.
Palate
Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by Whiskeyful or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.
The Bottom Line
Breckenridge Distillery Collectors Art Series 3 PX Naranja Cask Finish is fine — not bad, not great, just fine. if you are willing to look around.
