A Bourbon star was born in Colorado.

Ah, Colorado. The Rockies. Fancy ski centers. Breathtakingly beautiful nature. And a growing hub of craft distilleries that are giving the rest of the countrys distilleries plenty to worry about. 10th Mountain Whiskey and Spirit Company from the ski town of Vail is one of them. It was named after the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division that arrived in the 1940s to train a few miles outside of Vail so they would be prepared for the harsh climate of the Italian Alps. Based in Camp Hale, they were later deployed to Italy’s Apennines Mountains to battle the German army in WWI. (Spoiler alert: they did more than well.) A tribute to the soldiers bravery and the mountain lifestyle, the distillery launched an excellent range of Spirits that include Bourbon, Rye, Brandy, Vodka, Cordial, and Moonshine.

10th Mountain Bourbon Whiskey starts with a mash bill of 75% corn. Its made exclusively from locally-sourced Colorado grain. This dram is proof that good Bourbon doesnt need to be made in Kentucky. The palate is smooth and medium-bodied, packed with flavors of toasted nuts, vanilla, oak, and honey. And its got the awards to show it, too. The notorious Jim Murray of the Whiskey Bible awarded it 92 points and then theres also Gold from Global Spirits Competition, Gold from North American and Bourbon Competition, Gold from Denver International Spirits Festival.