WhistlePig’s most coveted launch: The Boss Hog X

Limited edition whiskey alert! The autumn season is always exciting in the world of bourbon, but today’s news from Shoreham, VT comes in the form of a totally new and unique finished rye whiskey that I’m as intrigued about as I am excited to try it and pen my thoughts. Let’s have a look at what the distillery is calling their most coveted launch. It certainly sounds biblical. How does it taste? Stay tuned for the full review.

Author

John H.

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Press Release

POSTED ON

October 24th, 2023

WhistlePig’s 10th Edition of The Boss Hog is a Whiskey of Biblical Proportions

The Boss Hog X: The Commandments offers gifts of Rye, Frankincense & Myrrh

 

SHOREHAM, VT (October 24, 2023)WhistlePig Whiskey today debuts the 10th edition of its biggest, boldest and most experimental whiskey, completing a decalogue of The Boss Hog. Each year, WhistlePig’s whiskey makers scour the globe for the best and most interesting barrels to deliver a whiskey deserving of The Boss Hog name. This year’s edition shepherds collectors from Vermont to the ancient world for an almighty sipping experience in WhistlePig The Boss Hog X: The Commandments.

A testament to WhistlePig’s devotion to creating, breaking and rewriting the laws of whiskey, WhistlePig expands the original five promises of The Boss Hog to the X Commandments for this and all future editions of the highly coveted collection: I. Single Barrel, II. Bottled at Proof, III. Powerfully Complex, IV. Distinctly Unique From Anything We’ve Done Before, V. Stupendous, VI. Fearlessly First Amongst All Whiskeys, VII. Inspired by the Unfamiliar, VIII. Irreverently inventive, IX. Made for Drinking, X. Knows No Bounds. The Commandments are emblazoned within The Boss Hog X gift box, and each bottle is crowned by the lawmaker and rule breaker of Rye Whiskey in the form of a handmade pewter topper.

Reaching for the Rye promised land, The Boss Hog X: The Commandments captures flavors inspired by WhistlePig’s own land of milk and honey in Vermont. Each barrel of Straight Rye Whiskey is aged in new American Oak before completing its journey in two unorthodox finishing barrels. The first is seasoned with WhistlePig’s own experimental spirit – distilled from rye and whey, infused with aromatic resins from the genera Boswellia and Commiphora. Commonly known as Frankincense and Myrrh, the resins bring notes of creme brulee, lemongrass and rosemary to the final whiskey. The second and final finish is aged in craft mead casks, offering a mellow, round-bodied finish with hints of red berries and freshly crushed black pepper. On the nose, honey is followed by roasted cashew, fresh ginger and subtle floral notes. When tasting, collectors will enjoy dried honey, raisin and sharp bright citrus, and the finish is lingering, with sapwood and freshly ground black pepper.

Heeding their X Commandments for the 10th edition of WhistlePig’s most anticipated annual limited edition, WhistlePig looked beyond traditional barrels to new ways for wood to influence a righteously well-aged whiskey. Crafted on WhistlePig’s Farm in Shoreham, Vermont, The Boss Hog X: The Commandments is a world’s first in maturation, with ingenuity in uniting the complex flavors of wood resins with barrels to influence the final whiskey flavor.

“The Commandments reinforce our dedication to creating transformative whiskeys and the world’s most daring cask finishes,” said Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig. “The creation of The Boss Hog X exemplifies just that. After the first several trials with resins, I began to doubt whether it was possible to harness them for maturation. The whey / rye spirit was a breakthrough, and well worth it in the end. This is not only a world first, but a celebration of the abundance to come with the next decade of The Boss Hog.”

A new gift box adorning the Boss Hog X: The Commandments serves as a home bar or back bar shrine for collectors. The limited edition Boss Hog X: The Commandments comes in a 750ml bottle and is bottled at proof, between 105.3-107 (52.6-53.5% ABV), with a suggested retail price of $599.99. It will be sold at the best liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the nation and online at shop.whistlepigwhiskey.com as of October 25, 2023. Collectors can authenticate their bottle using NFC technology on the back label.

To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About WhistlePig Whiskey

Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.

Final thoughts…

I have to say that WhistlePig has scared me with their Boss Hog releases for the past few years.  Each time I think they make something that’s going to push the boundaries too far, they absolutely knock it out of the park.  In the video above, Jay and I taste and review last year’s Boss Hog release “Siren’s Song” and I have no reservations admitting how outside the box this release was, at least on paper, but it wound up being among the best whiskey I tried all year.

This year marks a huge milestone for the Vermont distillery, and while I am certainly unsure about what this release will hold in terms of flavor, I have to say I’m positive they have put in the time and effort to create something that will stand out.  Can’t wait to share my review with you soon. Cheers!

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