Denver Broncos fans may be used to the phrase “Let’s Ride”. That’s exactly how it felt as we spoke with the founder of Breckenridge Distillery, Bryan Nolt. The conversation with Bryan was like a ride, a journey through the distillery’s history and what it stands for. It may be the official whiskey of the Denver Broncos but in this interview, you’ll find it is so much more.
The Official Whiskey Of The Denver Broncos – Breckenridge Distillery Founder Bryan Nolt | Old-Fashioned Football (Ep. 111)
A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of sitting down with Bryan Nolt, the founder and CEO of Breckenridge Distillery. Bryan doesn’t just distill and run a company. He’s a doctor as well. If you think that’s the most interesting thing about sitting down with Bryan, get ready. It doesn’t take long to realize how intelligent Bryan is, he is a doctor after all. However, he’s incredibly personable as well.
Another thing that jumps out is Bryan’s love for whiskey. We talk about the start of Breckenridge and how it came to him while fly-fishing in Breckenridge shortly after returning from one of his trips to Scotland. You’ll learn he likes to go to Scotland for some hunting – scotch hunting. You’ll also learn not only how Breckenridge became the official whiskey of the Denver Broncos, but how much he enjoys the Broncos organization. Even as a Chiefs fan!
“Incredibly Unfair Advantage”
There were so many interesting facts and quotable moments that we pulled away when talking to Bryan. Tune in to find out what he feels gives Breckenridge Distillery an “incredibly unfair advantage”. We learned so much about how they make their whiskey and what is important to them when a product hits the shelf.
One other major thing we pulled from our conversation was that Bryan is an incredibly genuine and good-natured person. Something that stuck out to Old-Fashioned Football was when he said, “I didn’t want to let them down”. Bryan was talking about what went into the decision-making of selling the distillery. However, we won’t spoil it anymore passed that. You’ll have to tune in to hear the amazing story.
Bourbon Tasting
Not only did Bryan spend time telling us all about Breckenridge Distillery and answering our questions but he also took time to walk us through some tastings. In all, we tasted four different products that Breckenridge has. If you’re wondering if you should pick up a bottle, you definitely should. With widespread distribution, you should be able to find it as well.
Our tastings started with their main bourbon, an 86-proof Bourbon that has a great mouthfeel and the right amount of heat. We then moved to their higher-proof offering, the 105 High Proof. While you’d expect the 105 proof to hit you harder than the 86, it doesn’t. In fact, the way it pulls off on the finish but still remains complex and with great mouthfeel was very interesting.
After that, we tried their PX Sherry finished bourbon. This finished bourbon was amazing and makes for a great addition to any cocktail. Also make sure you check out their Port Finished bourbon, which just won the “Best Finished Bourbon” award at the World Whiskey Awards.
We finished with the Orange Broncos Blend. There’s a little competition at the distillery where they bring in Denver Broncos alumni to face each other on two different teams. Each team works with a distiller and blends whiskey to try and make the best. Consumers and fans can then vote on which one turns out the best. The Orange was very pleasing and a super-easy sipper.
More Breckenridge Distillery Information
We had such a great time talking with Bryan and listening to all his knowledge on whiskey and distilling. From $20,000 bottles to him being a super-sniffer, there’s so many different parts that jumped out, we couldn’t cover them all in the writeup. Overall, each whiskey was amazing, and we have already purchased a couple other bottles. We will also be reviewing their Two Clans in a future episode.
If you’d like more information on Breckenridge, first ask your local liquor store or grocery store if they have it. It is a very affordable bottle of really, really good whiskey. Second, you can visit Breckenridge’s website here, their Instagram, or their X (formerly Twitter) account. You can also visit the distillery for tours, dining (make reservations for dinner), or a happy hour. Whether it’s in person or on social media, make sure you let them know Old-Fashioned Football sent you.
Time Stamps
00:00 – Intro
2:53 – Guest Intro
3:18 – NFL, Broncos, and Chiefs
9:13 – Official Whiskey Of The Broncos
12:30 – The Start of Breckenridge Distillery
28:24 – Selling The Distillery
32:10 – An Unfair Advantage
37:16 – Elevation
42:13 – Art
44:49 – Breckenridge Products
54:00 – Bourbon Tasting
56:19 – New Generation Of Consumers
1:05:34 – High Proof Bourbon Tasting
1:08:54 – PX Sherry Finish
1:16:54 – Broncos Blend
1:29:34 – Distillery Experiences
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