Rogue Dead Guy Cabernet Cask

Rogue Ales was founded in 1988 by Jack Joyce, Bob Woodell and Rob Strasser, all of whom were executives at the shoe company Nike. Opening both as a brewery and pub, Rogue grew steadily until it had eleven locations throughout Washington, Oregon and California. The brewery began distilling spirits in 2003 and began offering vodkas, rums and gins, along with the launch of Dead Guy Whiskey in 2006, made from the same malts as those made to use their famous Dead Guy Ale. While not much else was seen whiskey-wise for many years after the launch, eventually the distillery began issuing special releases. The Rogue Dead Guy Cabernet Cask is an American single malt aged for at least 3 years and finished in first-fill ex-Cabernet Sauvignon casks sourced from wineries throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Rogue Ales and Spirits abruptly closed on November 14, 2025 and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy November 24 with a total debt of almost $17 million.

Distillery: Rogue
Country: United States
Age: NAS
Strength: 46%
Price: $69.95
Maturation: ex-bourbon and ex-Cabernet Sauvignon casks from the Pacific Northwest
Location: Portland, Oregon
Nose: Chocolate, malt, hops, citrus, plum, smoke, tobacco
Palate: Tobacco, hops, plum, wintergreen 
Finish: Citrus, plum

Comments: Water is not needed but letting it wait a while in the glass allows the nose to coalesce. 

Adam – The Dead Guy Cabernet has an engaging nose first off, a strong malt with bright citrus that does remind me lightly of beer but accompanied by sugar, tobacco and some plum that is clearly brought by the casks. Complex enough and very pleasant, with no off notes. I’m surprised by wintergreen on the front half of the palate, strong enough that I wonder for a moment if it’s the heat of the alcohol before my taste receptors kick in to identify it. Thankfully it’s just a flash, followed by tobacco that eventually finishes with the plum from the nose and a spritz of citrus. This whiskey certainly takes you on a journey and it’s a pretty wild, dare I say rogue-ish, one. There are no problems per se but this may not be a good choice if you don’t like surprises. Or because this Dead Guy whiskey now comes from a dead distillery.

Kate – This one is more complex on the nose. The more it sits in the glass, the more it blooms. A smokiness in here too, and an oakiness. There’s a wintergreen aspect to it on the palate I do not enjoy.

Henry – Beer malt, grain, and a touch of astringent hoppiness on the nose along with dark stone fruit sweetness. Wintergreen, tobacco, plum, and complex wine notes on the palate, with the bitterness of the hops making an appearance. Wine cask on the finish makes for an intriguing and unique dram.

Bill – There’s a sugary, brown sugar bit on the nose that I really enjoy. I get a little hops but I wonder if the wine finish helps mask some of that. This is fun and playful. I really enjoy the playful aspect of it. It’s having a good time.

Mike – They have to have used hops in the mash they used to distill this, I’m not sure what kind of hops or how much. The finish really reminds me of a barley wine. I really liked the uniqueness of Dead Guy Cabernet. It wasn’t unique just for the sake of being unique. It has flavors you don’t typically taste in whisky that I enjoy. It was beer-like but it wasn’t beer, while some of the cabernet came out.