Orange peel

Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey

Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey

The Liberty Pole Spiced Whiskey is an annual release, usually in October. It is based on a rye that’s at least 3 years old and matured in a 53-gallon oak barrel. To this is added allspice, orange peel, brown sugar and cinnamon. The genesis of this mixture came about at a holiday party where the Old Fashioneds had a homemade allspice dram added, which the distillers attempt to recreate here. Thanks mom! Historically, Pennsylvania distillers during the Whiskey Rebellion also added spices to their whiskies during the holidays. 

Stranahan’s Sherry Cask

Stranahan’s Sherry Cask

Stranahan’s Distillery was one of the first American single malts on the market in early 2000s, with their first bottle being released in 2006. One of the things American whiskies like bourbon were long not allowed to do because of regulation and tradition was something scotch had begun pioneering in the early 1980s, wood finishing. Not bound by the regulations of bourbons or ryes, American single malts like Stranahan’s are able to push the boundaries in creative ways their whiskey relatives were unable to for many years (though this has recently begun changing). The Stranahan’s Sherry Cask is a single malt aged for four years in virgin white American oak barrels and then finished in 500-liter ex-Oloroso sherry casks from the Andalusia region in Spain.

Caol Ila 15 Year Unpeated

Caol Ila 15 Year Unpeated

Caol Ila is the largest distillery on the island of Islay, producing over 2 million liters every year. The vast majority of that goes into Diageo-owned blends like Johnnie Walker Black Label, but there still remains some for eventual release as single malts. While the 12 Year is their single malt cornerstone, the distillery has been releasing a yearly series of unpeated whiskies over the past several years, including the 17 Year. The Caol Ila 15 Year is the first of a reported thirteen releases in the series.