New Spirits Releases - November 18, 2022

Blue Run Emerald Rye is contact distilled at Castle & Key Distillery by Blue Run's Liquid Advisor Jim Rutledge, the first rye to be made there for the brand. Blue Run Whiskey Director Shaylyn Gammon blended this limited edition rye from 189 rye barrels which were made with three different rye mash bill recipes. Emerald Rye is bottled at barrel proof at 58.35% ABV and is available at select retailers beginning in November 2022. (SRP $109.99)

This is the fourth expression in the brand's Cask Finish series which first launched in 2019. This limited edition American straight rye whiskey (95% rye, 5% malted barley) originally was matured a minimum of six years in charred, new American oak barrels. Then the whiskey was transferred into bourbon-barrel aged chocolate coffee stout casks for an additional three months of maturation. It's bottled at 92 proof. Available as of November 2022. (SRP $54.99)

The Gold Label limited edition series from Barrell Craft Spirits features older and rare barrels of whiskey aged up to 25 years. Conversely, their Dovetail series features a blend of whiskeys finished in rum, port, and Dunn Vineyards cabernet sauvignon barrels. This bottling combines these two concepts in one with the whiskeys (distilled in Indiana, Tennessee and Canada). Then the blend was finished in the aforementioned barrels before bottling at cask strength of 140.18 proof. Available at select retailers nationwide as of November 2022. (SRP $499.99)

Released in November 2022, Kentucky Owl Bourbon Batch 12 is the latest release in the limited edition series which first began in 2014 when the brand was revived. This batch was crafted by Master Blender John Rhea who blended 7-14 year-old bourbons with 2 different four year-old bourbons. Batch 12 is bottled at 115.8 proof. (SRP $400)

This limited edition bottling begins with Kentucky Owl 11 Year Rye Whiskey. This Kentucky straight rye is then recasked into former Louisiana-made Bayou Rum XO Mardi Gras Casks for over a year. This "extremely small release" is available as of November 2022. (SRP $500)

This is just the second bottled-in-bond rye whiskey released by the brand following the first release in 2021. Like that release, it features a blend of two straight rye whiskies — one with a high-rye mash bill, the other low-rye. But this limited edition bottling is aged for 5 years in new American oak barrels, one additional year longer than the 2021 release. Available in select markets across the US and at the Baltimore, Maryland distillery as of November 2022. (SRP $59.99)

This is the second annual release for the Infinity Blend Series which is crafted by Master Distiller Greg Metze. Unlike the previous year which was a straight bourbon blend, this is a blend of straight whiskeys. In fact, this bottling actually features a portion (18%) of the first Infinity Blend release. The remaining whiskeys are as follows: 52% Old Elk 7 Year Wheat Whiskey; 15% Old Elk 7 Year Bourbon; 9% 13 year-old Kentucky bourbon (sourced); 6% 12 year-old Kentucky bourbon (sourced). Bottled at 114.1 proof, it's available at select retailers in the US beginning November 18, 2022. (SRP $149.99)

The Left Cross is a release from independent producer Wolf's Spirit Distillery. At 14 years of age, the Kentucky bourbon (84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley) is the oldest release to date for the brand. After 14 years in a Kentucky rickhouse, the bourbon is finished in freshly-dumped 12 year-old Jamaican rum to finish aging for 2-6 months. The Left Cross name references southpaw Jamaican heavyweight fighter Donovan "Razor" Ruddock who's left cross punch was his calling card. Only 2,000 bottles available in select US markets beginning November 2022. (SRP $150)