Some things can't be rushed, and a good whiskey is one of them. That is the thinking behind two new bottles from Root Shoot Spirits, a Loveland, Colorado distillery that has just put out its first 6-year American Single Malt whiskeys. The announcement came on September 15, 2026. Both bottles are limited, and both are tied to a family farm that has been working the same ground for a hundred years.
One is a 6-Year Single Barrel American Single Malt Whiskey. The other is a 6-Year Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt Whiskey. They are available in very limited supply in Colorado and online across the country at rootshootspirits.com.
Todd Olander, the founder and farmer behind Root Shoot, said the bottles mean more than the time they spent in oak. "These whiskies represent more than six years in a barrel," said Olander. "They represent 100 years of our family farming this land and 10 years of Root Shoot Malting. Every bottle starts with barley we grow and malt ourselves, so being able to release both these whiskies during such a milestone year is incredibly special."
From Barley Field to Bottle on One Piece of Land
A Fifth-Generation Farm
Root Shoot Spirits is not a typical distillery. All of its ingredients come from Olander Farms, a fifth-generation family farm in Loveland. The grain is sown and grown there, then malted by Root Shoot Malting, which is a first-generation craft malthouse on the same property. In other words, the people making the whiskey are the same people growing the grain.
Root Shoot Malting makes malts from barley, wheat, rye, and corn. The company says it believes farmers are stewards of the land and that responsible agriculture can support a better food and beverage industry. It is also working to protect farmland through a conservation easement with Colorado Open Lands. The Olander family's farm is permanently conserved, so the fields that grow the barley for these whiskeys are meant to stay farmland.
A Young Brand With Big Wins
Root Shoot Spirits put out its first whiskey in August 2023. That is a short history for a distillery, and it makes a six-year release a real first. Still, the brand has picked up serious attention in a short time.
In 2026, Root Shoot's 4-year Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt swept the London Spirits Competition. It took home Whisky of the Year, Spirit of the Year (U.S.A.), and American Single Malt Whiskey of the Year. That followed a 2025 win for American Single Malt Whiskey of the Year. Both new six-year bottles also arrive shortly after Olander Farms earned its Centennial Farm designation.
The 6-Year Single Barrel: Bold at 123 Proof
Image credit: Root Shoot Spirits
What Is in the Bottle
The Single Barrel release comes in at 61.5% ABV, which is 123 proof. It was aged for six years in first-use, medium char American white oak barrels. This is a cask-strength style pour for people who like a whiskey with some muscle behind it.
It builds on the 4-year American Single Malt that has already won awards for the distillery. The familiar flavors of dark cherry, toasted grain, cocoa, and baking spice are all still there, but the extra years push them into richer territory. The whiskey is described as full and complex, and it still keeps the bright botanical flavor that Root Shoot is known for.
A Label That Looks Out the Malthouse Window
This bottle celebrates 10 years of Root Shoot Malting, and the label shows it. The artwork comes from Mallory Cash, a local Loveland artist. Her design captures the view of Longs Peak from the malthouse window. According to the distillery, that is the same view that has inspired Root Shoot for the past decade.
How Many Bottles and What It Costs
Supply is tight. Fewer than 50 bottles will be available, and only online at rootshootspirits.com. A 750ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $89.99. Anyone who wants one will likely need to move quickly.
The 6-Year Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond: A Century of Farming in a Glass
Image credit: Root Shoot Spirits
What Is in the Bottle
The second release is a 6-Year Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt Whiskey at 50% ABV, or 100 proof. It is Root Shoot's first-ever 6-year Bottled-in-Bond release, and it marks 100 years of Olander Farms. That is the farm where the grain behind Root Shoot's craft malt and its nationally recognized American Single Malt whiskey is sown, grown, and malted.
The whiskey is distilled from barley grown on the Olander family's permanently conserved farm in Loveland. The company says it commemorates a century of agricultural stewardship.
How It Was Made
This whiskey was distilled in a traditional pot still and fermented off grain. It was then blended from five select barrels of 6-Year American Single Malt. The goal was a layered, balanced whiskey at 100 proof.
Flavors to Look For
The six years show up in the glass. The whiskey is rounded out with pronounced vanilla, chewy caramel candy, dried cherry, and baking spice. Root Shoot's familiar cocoa dust notes are still present.
The nose is soft and nutty. It suggests leather, brown sugar, and mascarpone, while camphor and eucalyptus stay in the background. It is a mix of sweet and earthy notes, and it reads like a whiskey meant for slow sipping.
How Many Bottles and What It Costs
Only 60 bottles are available online. A 750ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $84.99.
Where to Buy These Whiskeys
The two releases are sold a little differently. The 6-Year Single Barrel is exclusive to the online store. The 6-Year Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond is available today at select Colorado retailers and through Root Shoot Spirits' online store at buy.rootshootspirits.com.
Online ordering is subject to availability and state laws, so buyers outside Colorado should check whether shipping to their state is allowed. With fewer than 50 bottles of one whiskey and only 60 of the other, stock is not expected to last long.
Why This Release Matters for Craft Whiskey Fans
There are plenty of new whiskeys on the shelf, but few come from a distillery that grows its own barley and malts it on site. Root Shoot has a clear story from field to bottle. The grain comes from a farm that has been in the same family for five generations, and the malt comes from a malthouse on that same land. Even the label on the Single Barrel bottle shows the mountain view from the malthouse window.
For whiskey drinkers who care where their bottle came from, that kind of detail counts. Six years is also a fair stretch of time for a young distillery, especially one that only started selling whiskey in 2023. The company says these first 6-year releases build on what made its 4-year whiskey a winner, only with deeper and richer flavor.
The distillery's description of itself sums up the idea. Root Shoot Spirits brings Root Shoot Malting's craft malt from grain to glass, with every ingredient sown, grown, and malted in Colorado. With a 100-year-old farm, a 10-year-old malthouse, and two limited whiskeys that took six years to finish, this release gives collectors and casual sippers alike something worth chasing.
Quick Facts on the Two New Whiskeys
6-Year Single Barrel American Single Malt Whiskey
The proof is 123 (61.5% ABV). It was aged six years in first-use, medium char American white oak. The label art is by Mallory Cash. Fewer than 50 bottles are available online only. The price is $89.99 for a 750ml bottle.
6-Year Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond American Single Malt Whiskey
The proof is 100 (50% ABV). It was blended from five select barrels of 6-Year American Single Malt, distilled in a traditional pot still and fermented off grain. There are 60 bottles available online, plus select Colorado retailers. The price is $84.99 for a 750ml bottle.
