Happy Friday, spirits fans!
Autumn is a time for harvest, new beginnings and exploration, not to mention yummy treats. This week’s roundup represents all those things, especially when it comes to new whiskey, rum and mezcal releases that celebrate voyages of discovery as well as artistry. These include the new Booker’s “Bardstown” Batch, Papa’s Pilar Legacy Edition 2021, New Riff Red Turkey Wheated Bourbon, among others.
But let’s start on a voyage to the Pacific with WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII. Happy sipping!
Introducing WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific
WhistlePig has announced the eighth edition of The Boss Hog: LapuLapu’s Pacific. The Boss Hog series is an exploration of new rye possibilities. For The Boss Hog VIII, straight rye whiskey was aged for nearly 18 years in new American oak, with a second finish in high toast barrels that previously held small batch, single island, aged Philippine Rum.
The Boss Hog VIII is inspired by the battle of Mactan in the Philippines, where Magellan met his fate at the hands of LapuLapu on April 27, 1521. Five hundred years later, LapuLapu is celebrated as a symbol of strength and independence, and his likeness is captured in the hand-made pewter pig on the Boss Hog bottle topper.
The Rum barrels for The Boss Hog VIII make their journey from a small island southwest of Cebu, where the famous battle occurred. They previously held small batch rum for between 7 to 10 years.
WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific /Photo Credit: WhistlePig
A Rum Cask Exploration
“On the heels of Magellan’s Atlantic, it was a great challenge to find the perfect finish for the most special Rye barrels in our warehouse,” says Meghan Ireland, blender at WhistlePig Whiskey. “We were already tracing Magellan in depth, and when we discovered LapuLapu’s story we knew we had to track down the best Philippines rum barrels we could for the sequel. Before maturing Rum for 7-10 years, the barrels were coopered from American Oak and originally held bourbon. In this way, they’ve made their own circumnavigation from American whiskey to the Philippines, and back again to us in Vermont. The whiskey rested first in 7-year-old small batch Philippine Rum casks, followed by a shorter finish in 10-year-old small batch Philippine Rum casks.”
She adds a fun twist: “We actually attempted to send the whiskey itself around the world to Spain, to finish in the place where just one ship from the original fleet finally returned. Those barrels have yet to come back to us, so for the most daring collectors out there, the hunt is on.”
The Boss Hog VIII: LapuLapu’s Pacific is bottled at proof, between 104.8-106.5 (52.4-53.3% ABV), with a suggested retail price of $499.99.
You’re Invited to Drinks With Distiller
On November 18th, join Distiller and ImpEx Beverages along with distillery representatives for a virtual Scotch whisky tasting event. Sip through five whiskies from the GlenAllachie and Kilchoman distilleries — delivered to your door at no additional cost.
The virtual tasting will be held on Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 5:00 PM PST/8:00 PM EST.
Tickets are on sale now. Click here to purchase.
Distiller Pro members will receive a discount code for $10 off in their inbox so if you haven’t joined Pro click here to sign up.
Each ticket includes at no additional cost one tasting kit of all 5 sipping samples from ImpEx Beverages to be delivered prior to the event. Kits are only available to United States residents, and not available in New Hampshire, Virginia, Hawaii or Alaska. Residents in restricted areas may still purchase tickets and participate in the event, but samples will not be provided. Must be 21+. Adult signature required for delivery.
Tickets are extremely limited so don’t wait!
New Riff Launches Limited Red Turkey Wheated Bourbon
New Riff Distilling has announced a bourbon made from heirloom Red Turkey wheat. The limited release Red Turkey Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon will be available in limited quantities throughout Kentucky this November.
“Just like heirloom tomatoes, heirloom grains offer flavors and aromas that are distinct from — and often simply better than — modern hybridized grain varieties,” said co-founder Jay Erisman. “We enjoy helping to preserve these old grains, but the real reason we do it is for the flavor in the glass. We wondered what wheated bourbon would’ve tasted like 100 years ago, before modern agriculture bred so much flavor out of wheat in exchange for ever-increasing yields and ease of transport and storage.”
The use of the heirloom varietal dates back to 2016, when New Riff partnered with Blue Oven Bakery and asked if it was using any heirloom grains. For this first batch of Red Turkey Wheated Bourbon, the wheat was grown in Ohio and sourced from Blue Oven Bakery — and mashed with New Riff’s standard, non-GMO supply of corn and malted barley.
New Riff Red Turkey Wheat is made with 70% corn, 25% Red Turkey Wheat and 5% malted barley. It is aged at least 5 years and bottled-in-bond at 100 proof at a suggested retail price of $49.99.
Red Turkey Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon /Photo Credit: New Riff
Papa’s Pilar Rum Announces New Annual Commemorative Release, Legacy Edition 2021, a Rye Whiskey and Sherry Barrel-Finished Rum
Papa’s Pilar Rum has announced a new limited release Papa’s Pilar Rum Legacy Edition 2021. The new expression is a blend of selected rums aged up to 24 years old, with a double solera finishing featuring rye whiskey barrels and amontillado Sherry casks.
Papa’s Pilar Rum Legacy Edition 2021 is bottled at 43% ABV, with an SRP of $79.99.The blend comes from 5 sources — the Dominican Republic, Panama, Venezuela, Barbados and Florida — that is finished in Papa’s Pilar’s proprietary solera, with time in bourbon barrels, Port wine casks, and Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, as well as a finish in rye whiskey barrels and amontillado Sherry casks.
Papa’s Pilar Rum Legacy Edition 2021 /Photo Credit: Papa’s Pilar
A 4-Piece Tasting Set
The company has also announced the Papa’s Pilar 4-Pack Rum Tasting Set which carries an SRP of $47.99. The set includes the flagship expressions, Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum (42% ABV, 84 Proof), Dark Rum (43% ABV, 86 Proof), Sherry-Finished Rum (43% ABV, 86 Proof), plus the limited release Bourbon Barrel-Finished Rum (44% ABV, 88 Proof), in an exclusive gift box with a tasting mat and a QR code leading to a virtual tasting experience at the Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery in Key West, Florida. The gift set is available via shoppapaspilarrum.com.
More New Releases
Let’s take a quick look to see what else what is hitting shelves this month.
Bowmore Unveils Mythical Whisky Series
Islay Scotch whisky Bowmore has partnered with graphic artist Frank Quitely for an exclusive whisky series, Bowmore No Corners To Hide, which is inspired from ancient Islay myths. It is set to launch with 23- and 32-year-old expressions available at global retail outlets, with bottles designed by graphic artist Frank Quitely.
The 23-year-old matured in ex-Bourbon American oak hogsheads, followed by two years in Essencia barriques. It is bottled at 51.5% ABV, with 6,666 bottles available at an SRP of $400.
The 32-year-old, which comes with a signed Quitely print, spent 30 years in ex-bourbon American oak hogsheads, with two years of further maturation in Essencia barriques. It is bottled at 47.3% ABV, with 666 bottles available at an SRP of $2,995.
Booker’s Bourbon Releases Third Batch of 2021 Collection
Booker’s Batch 2021-03 “Bardstown Batch” is the third release of the Booker’s Bourbon 2021 Collection. Like all previous batches, this one honors an aspect of the life of late 6th Generation Master Distiller Booker Noe and was selected by 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe. This batch is a tribute to the town which he and other generations of the Beam family called home. It is aged for 6 years and 5 months, and bottled uncut and unfiltered at 125.5 proof with an SRP of $89.99.
House of Suntory Debuts Limited Edition 2021 Bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony
The House of Suntory has announced the release of a specially-designed, limited-edition bottle of Hibiki Japanese Harmony. This one-of-a-kind bottled is adorned with painted flowers and flowing ribbons of water to represent 24 hours of the day, as well as the 24 seasons of the year in the traditional Japanese lunar calendar — Ryusui-Hyakka (One-Hundred Flowers and Flowing Water). This limited-edition bottle will be available in select global markets including the United States this month for an SRP of $125.
Alberta Distillers Re-introduces Limited Time Offering of 100% Rye Whisky, Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye
Alberta Distillers has announced its 2021 release of Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye Whisky into the U.S. market. It hits shelves this month as a limited time offering.
Made in Calgary, Alberta, Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye is made from 100% Canadian prairie rye grains grown by local farmers and glacier-fed spring water from the Rocky Mountains. It’s bottled at 63 – 67% ABV with an SRP of $74.99.
Código 1530 Releases Ancestral and Artesanal Mezcal
Código 1530 is releasing two mezcals, Ancestral and Artesanal. Ancestral is made from Papalome agave and is bottled at 43.1% ABV with an SRP of $180. Artesenal is an ensemble made with Espadín and Tobala that is rested in Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc barrels. It is bottled at 42.2% ABV with an SRP of $65. Both mezcals from Código 1530 are available through the Código 1530 website www.codigo1530.com or from select retailers.
Tres Generaciones Tequila Unveils Limited Edition Legacy Series and a New Look
Tres Generaciones Tequila has revealed a new limited-release tequila series alongside redesigned packaging and nationwide expansion. Cenobio’s Batch Plata is bottled at 45% ABV and available in limited quantities nationwide for $69.99.
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