Tin Cup Fourteener Bourbon Whiskey / Batch 3
The Stats
- Distillery: Tin Cup Whiskey
- Location: Distilled in Indiana; aged, proofed, and bottled in Colorado
- Type: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Age: 14 Years
- Proof: 84 (42% ABV)
- Mash Bill: Believed to be MGP’s High-Rye Bourbon mash bill (commonly 60% Corn / 36% Rye / 4% Malted Barley)
- Release: Annual Limited Release (Fourteener Series – Batch 3)
- Price: $70–$75
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American whiskey loves a good story, and Tin Cup has built an entire identity around elevation, adventure, and Rocky Mountain grit. Their annual Fourteener Series pushes that idea even further, with each release honoring one of Colorado’s legendary peaks. Batch 3 celebrates Mount Sneffels, an iconic, photogenic natural fit for a bottle built to look like it belongs on a trail.
The branding climbs high, the bottle design leans rugged, and the mountain aesthetic is dialed all the way up. Batch 3 claims Colorado character, and thanks to full Colorado aging and proofing with Rocky Mountain water, this release carries more authenticity than many “story-first” bourbons on the market.
Aged in Colorado, Shaped by the Rockies
Tin Cup is open about their DNA: the distillation comes from MGP’s high-rye bourbon mash bill, but everything after that happens in Colorado.
Batch 3 is aged a full 14 years in Colorado’s climate, shaped by real Rocky Mountain conditions. Once matured, it’s proofed down to 84 proof using local mountain water and bottled right there, where the brand’s identity actually lives.
So while the grain isn’t sourced locally, the aging, water, elevation, and environment absolutely are. This release earns more of its mountain character than most bottles trying the same angle.
And the bottle? It’s genuinely great.
A tall, custom hexagonal design with Tin Cup’s signature metal cup perched on top. Detailed glasswork, rugged lines, and a silhouette ready for a trailhead photo. Gimmick or charm? You tell us, but the execution is undeniably sharp.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
The nose starts airy and fresh. Light vanilla, soft baking spices, and gentle oak. As it opens, cinnamon-sugar shows up (like a churro), along with a subtle vanilla-cola sweetness. Traditional, clean, and easygoing.
Taste
Vanilla and caramel land first, then the rye spice wakes everything up. Each sip builds: more oak, more cinnamon, a touch of leather, and a maple-syrup warmth that feels downright cozy. A quiet grassy/earthy note slides in late, fittingly outdoorsy for a mountain-branded bourbon.
It stays approachable without ever collapsing into “thin” or “watery.” There’s surprising depth here.
Finish
Short-to-medium. Light spice, fading sweetness, and a soft maple echo that hangs around just long enough. Pleasant and easy to revisit.
Artfully Bourbon Rating
6.5 / 10 - Good
Tin Cup Fourteener Batch 3 is a gentle, well-aged sipper that delivers more flavor than its proof suggests. The 14 years of Colorado aging show up in the oak and earthiness, the rye brightens the structure, and the overall profile stays friendly and enjoyable.
At $70–$75, it’s a little steep for 84 proof, but this series sells experience as much as whiskey. If you’re buying it, buy it to share. It’s a perfect bottle for friends who don’t love high proof or who want to explore something softer but still interesting.
Raise the proof to 100, and this might genuinely reach the summit. As it stands, it’s an enjoyable base-camp pour, pleasant, unique, and easy to pass around.
It doesn’t quite climb all the way to the top, but it’s a worthy stop on the trail.
