Colorado’s Spirit Hound Distillers Crafting American Single Malt Whisky Since 2012

The newly recognized category has been this Colorado Distiller’s specialty for over 13 years (Image: Turn It Up Media for Spirit Hound Distillers)

LYONS, Colo., February 19, 2025 – Led by its American Single Malt Whiskey and the growth of its award winning tasting room in Lyons, Colo., and cocktail lounge in Denver, Colorado’s Spirit Hound Distillers had an exceptional year in 2024.

Spirit Hound earned a gold medal at the London Spirit Awards in 2024 in the American Single Malt category for its Colorado Honey Aged Straight Malt Whisky, made with local honey from Bee Squared Apiaries in Lyons. Spirit Hound was also named Distiller of the Year by the Colorado Sun and ranked as the 37th top whisky bar in the US by Yelp. 

Fueled by its award winning handcrafted spirits, Spirit Hound’s tasting room in Lyons and cocktail lounge in Denver experienced a 100% growth rate year over year in 2024. To support its growth in the tasting rooms and at retail, the distiller also made investments in its team last year, welcoming its new Vice President of Sales Joey Marchitti and Hospitality Manager, Maggie Kappes.

American Single Malt Whisky (ASMW) was finally defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as an official category last month, and Spirit Hound Distillers has been crafting this distinctive spirit all along. The American Single Malt Whiskey Commission’s new guidelines dictate that ASMW must be crafted according to rigorous criteria: mashed, matured and distilled at a single United States distillery, to a proof not exceeding 160—all standards that Spirit Hound has been observing since 2012 in order to craft Colorado’s finest whisky.

“I have a deep appreciation for the single malt tradition and a great love of scotch whisky, which is strictly defined in a way that ensures the highest quality experience,” said Spirit Hound’s Master Distiller Craig Englehorn, who has long been barking about the need to define ASMW and its superiority as a style. “Inspired by that tradition, we craft with 100% malt and distill, age and bottle our own spirits. We even follow the Scottish tradition of calling it ‘whisky’ without the ‘e.’ We’ve been proudly upholding the highest standards all along, and it turns out we were right!”

Crafted entirely of barley that is both grown and malted in Alamosa, Colo., the Spirit Hound team adds a Scottish twist to their American Single Malt Whisky by including a small amount of peated malt. The whisky ages for a minimum of two years in new, full-size, charred American Oak barrels. As with all of their spirits, they use fresh Rocky Mountain water to cut the proof, and the whisky is bottled as a single barrel. This authentic and local handcrafted approach highlights the nuances that make each barrel unique.

When it comes to ASMW, Spirit Hound has been leading the pack since 2012. Experience the exemplary American Single Malt Whisky at two Colorado tasting rooms, the distillery in Lyons and the tasting room and cocktail lounge in Denver, or for order online in 40 states.

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About Spirit Hound Distillers - THE SPIRIT OF COLORADO

For Spirit Hound Distillers, the quest to produce the finest Colorado-crafted spirits is a journey that never ends. Proudly distilled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Lyons, Colo., since 2012, our spirits have won more than 85 major awards. Our highly decorated American Single Malt Whisky earned the highest whisky ranking in the world at the London Spirits Competition, in addition to Best in Show in 2022 and again in 2024. Savor the passion, dedication, and devotion to tradition in every bottle, crafted with locally sourced ingredients and pure Rocky Mountain snowmelt. Visit our distillery and tasting room in Lyons, unwind at our Denver cocktail lounge, or purchase online for delivery in 40 states. Join the pack at spirithounds.com.