Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon Review [In Depth]

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon

by: ALEX WANG
Founder, writer

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Details

Distillery: Breckenridge

Type & Region: Bourbon (sort of?), Colorado, USA

Alcohol: 45%

Composition: Unknown

Aged: Probably at least 2-3 years

Color: 1.1/2.0 on the color scale (burnished)

Price: $55-60

From the company website:

Our award-winning Breckenridge Bourbon soaks up the charm of our own aged Colorado Rum casks, creating an unstoppable wave of flavor. Candied apple and cinnamon enfold, as dark chocolate and cacao follow. Lingering allspice captivates the senses, gratifying in just one sip, but mysterious enough to leave you wanting another.

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon overview

I like bourbon and I like rum, so combining the two sounds like a great idea. With Breckenridge Rum Cask Finished, we have a blended bourbon, meaning bourbon mixed with neutral grain spirit or light whiskey, finished in casks used to create their spiced rum. Colorado Blended Bourbon plus Colorado rum, nice.

“Natural flavors added” is something that you rarely see with bourbon, but I think I understand why it happened. In creating their own spiced rum, Breckenridge distilling adds various spices, fruits, and other things to the rum. When the blended bourbon is finished in those spiced rum casks, those extra flavors that were added to create spiced rum are also infused into the bourbon. I don’t think that they add any more stuff before, during, or after the finishing process.

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Breckenridge Distillery was founded in 2008 and is located in…you guessed it – Breckenridge, Colorado. With distilleries emphasizing “terroir” a bit more these days, Breckenridge is home to a unique environment that few can replicate: sitting at 9,600 feet above sea level (~1.5 miles), and higher in some places.

Most of the major distilleries in the US, including those in Kentucky, are located fairly close to sea level. I’m guessing that has an impact on how whiskey ages, I just can’t say for sure. I do know that elevation that high definitely makes me breathe a lot harder. The air is probably drier too, among other things. The point is, Breckenridge has some special terroir, and hopefully that translates into special whiskey.

Let’s see if the finish brings extra pizazz in this Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish bourbon review.

This bottle was provided to me at no cost. All opinions are still my own.

As an FYI, I bought and use these Glencairn glasses for everything (they’re the best): Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass Set of 6, Set of 4, Set of 2, or just one. Full transparency, this is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon smell

I get honey, vanilla, roasted grain, candied pineapple, orange peel, roasted oak, bubblegum, banana, orange bitters, and candied ginger. This smells alright with the sweet and fruity scents, but there isn’t much richness or depth to any of it.

After swirling and rest, there’s bubblegum and honey sweetness, then vanilla, orange peel, candied pineapple, dry oak, banana, clove, and fennel.

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Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish is decent, honey-forward with a simmering woody dryness in the back that lacks depth, complexity, and character.

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon taste and aftertaste

The flavors have very sweet honey, orange, and vanilla up front followed by moderately bitter and dry roasted oak, cinnamon, candied pineapple, and then even more bitter earthiness and graininess in the back.

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish starts off well enough with the sweetness up front, but then I get demolished with all this dry and bitter woodiness and earthiness. Who the heck knows what it is, but it’s not great. Every sip gets more bitter, dry, and earthy.

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With hard “chewing” I taste honey, orange peel, vanilla, candied pineapple, roasted oak, mint, clove, fennel, and some roasted grains and dry oak in the back. The sweetness opens up some, which pushes back some of the previously intense earthiness, although it still reappears towards the back.

The finish leaves a lingering earthy bitterness and dryness surrounded by honey and citrus. After “chewing”, it leaves this dry woodiness and earthiness that just creeps up on me throughout the aftertaste.

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish just doesn’t have much richness, depth, or pop, and unfortunately the dry woodiness and earthiness re-appear, which drags this down.

This is ok to decent, but totally forgettable.

I’ve unfortunately lost some Glencairn’s while in transit, and that made me very sad. So, I wised up and bought this Glencairn Travel Case that comes also comes with 2 glasses so I don’t need to worry so much about them breaking. I think it’s great, and I think you’ll love it too. Seriously, if you already have glasses, protect them.

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Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon Rating

Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon is not for me. I’m not actually sure who they’re targeting to drink this because it’s just ok to drink neat, and I can’t think of a compelling reason why it would be better than a slew of other whiskeys as a mixer. And at $60, yikes that’s way too expensive and a tough sell.

The dry woodiness and earthiness throughout the flavors and finish just ruin this for me. I have no idea what Breckenridge was thinking when they made this. The finish could be fine, but ooof that base whiskey is not good. Unfortunately it’s not the first time that I’ve had that reaction to their whiskey…from what I can tell it’s not great.

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I contemplated rating this as “Bottom Shelf+”, but I don’t think it’s quite that bad. As oddly woody and dry as it is, there’s just enough sweetness and citrus to redeem it from the depths of such a poor rating.

Here’s my recommendation to you – avoid Breckenridge Rum Cask Finished Bourbon and drink some other bourbon, some other cask finished whiskey, or switch to rum. Don’t waste your money here. There are a bunch of sub-$30 and sub-$50 bourbons that are way more interesting.

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Meet the Author: Alex

I have far too much fun writing about whiskey and singlehandedly running The Whiskey Shelf to bring you independent, honest, and useful reviews, comparisons, and more. I’m proudly Asian American and can speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and some Japanese.

There are no sponsors, no media companies, and no nonsense. Support The Whiskey Shelf by Buying Me A Shot.

Shattered glass really sucks, so if you’re on the move, this Glencairn-like stainless steel snifter glass should survive your travels. Full transparency, this is an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy this or something else from Amazon.

BrüMate NOS’R, Double-Wall Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass – 7oz (Matte Black)

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Breckenridge Rum Cask Finish Bourbon Review [In Depth]