Balancing the sweetness of fresh blackberries with the subtleties of a refined American whiskey is no easy feat, but in tasting this unique find, we are sure you will agree that Master Distiller Todd Leopold has struck just such a balance.

We start with crushed and juiced blackberries that are harvested from throughout the Rocky Mountains. The resulting juice is added to new-make whiskey and racked into used bourbon barrels and aged for up to one year. This simple aging process allows the pronounced berry flavor to marry with the whiskey and produces flavors that are more rounded and full. Of course, the charred wood from the bourbon soaked barrels highlights the complexities of the whiskey while it mellows the tartness of the berries. Thus, while the simple sweetness of the blackberries hits the tongue first, it is the bourbon barrels which lend the oakiness and vanilla undertones of a refin ed whiskey to the finish. The understated complexities make this unique whiskey a favorite of both those that prefer the berry flavors of a liqueur and the whiskey connoisseur.

And while we prefer it on the rocks, here are a few recipes to try:

Berrys and Cream
1 oz Leopold Bros. Rocky Mountain Blackberry Whiskey
1/2 oz Vanilla Liqueur
Pour both ingredients into a ice filled collins glass, top with cream.

Blackberry Whiskey Sour
1 1/4 oz Leopold Bros. Rocky Mountain Blackberry Whiskey
2 oz Sour Mix
Combine both into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cherry.

Blackberry Whiskey Fizzy
1 1/2 oz Rocky Mountain Blackberry Whiskey
1/2 Fresh Squeezed Lemon
Pour whiskey and lemon into shaker that is filled with ice. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass. Top off with half sprite, half club soda. Garnish with lemon.