Out in Colorado, where the Rocky Mountains rise behind the smoke of four old copper kettles, Golden Moon Distillery once poured its own take on rye whiskey. They called the range Gun Fighter — named for the Wild West and the men who never settled for less. The distillery is gone now, but this bottle still carries the story of a place that insisted on doing things its own way.
Expert Description
Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish is an American Rye Whiskey matured in new American oak casks and finished in French Port casks, bottled at 50%. The whiskey comes from Golden Moon Distillery in Golden, Colorado — a small distillery that, from 2008 onward, made a name for itself recreating spirits using late-19th-century recipes and methods.
Behind the stills stood founder Stephen Gould, who built the distillery around four antique pot stills dating from the early to mid-1900s. Gun Fighter's mash bill runs 60% rye, 34% corn and 6% malted barley — a classic rye recipe that gives the whiskey its spicy backbone before the casks ever come into play.
The double cask journey begins in new, charred American oak, where the whiskey rests for a minimum of six months and an average of around two years. From there it moves into French oak casks that previously held a California Port-style wine. That's where the Port Finish name comes from, and it's also where the whiskey picks up its soft, fruity finish on top of rye's peppery base.
Golden Moon Distillery closed permanently in 2024 after 16 years, which means no more Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish will ever be distilled. What is left on the shelf now is the last of its kind.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Spiced rye leads the way — think cinnamon and clove — backed by a touch of burnt caramel, red berries and a hint of cedar underneath.
Palate
Creamy and soft on the palate, with rye's classic pepper and caraway, a light sweetness from the Port cask and a touch of orange peel weaving through the spice.
Finish
Short to medium, with the spice lingering as a quiet caramel sweetness settles in and fades into the oak.
Specifications
Name: Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish American Whiskey
Distillery: Golden Moon Distillery
Region/Country: Colorado, USA
Type: American Rye Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: New American Oak, Finished In French Port Casks
Distillation method: Pot Still Distilled
Edition: Double Cask Port Finish
Flavour Profile
Spicy · Oak-Driven · Fruity · Creamy · Sweet
Investment Potential
Medium. Golden Moon Distillery closed permanently in 2024, so no more Gun Fighter Rye Double Cask Port Finish will ever be made. That kind of genuine, final scarcity tends to make a craft whiskey more sought-after over time, especially from a distillery named Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute in 2019.
Did You Know?
Stephen Gould, the man behind Golden Moon Distillery, has bootlegging in the family going back to Prohibition — and he started home brewing himself as a teenager, long before he ever dreamed up his own distillery.
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