As this is a celebrity-backed product with a suspect maturation gimmick, I am naturally inclined to hate it. But damn, it’s good. The late Dave Pickerell didn’t just slap Metallica’s branding on some generic sourced whisky. He and his successor Rob Dietrich, formerly the master distiller at Stranahan’s, have blended whiskies from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Canada in ex-Spanish brandy barrels to create something unique and delicious. Dietrich says chemical analysis shows the “sonic enhancement” process — agitating the barrels with low frequency Metallica tracks -- does boost flavor by driving the whisky deeper into the barrels, which rest for about three months in Whistlepig’s Vermont warehouses. Whatever the science, the results are tasty and unique. There’s considerable batch variation, though the two I tried were both full bodied and rich with dark chewy flavors. Batch #094 had more caramel flavors, while #101 had a stronger rye spice influence that was more to my liking. The brandy barrels added notes of juicy, musty grapes that leave a long and pleasantly sour finish. Metallica’s music isn’t to my taste, but with whisky this good, I’m with the band.