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.
Clynelish Reserve: Game of Thrones Edition
Founded in 1819, Clynelish has been operating nearly uninterrupted for over two hundred years, even when it was known for a time as Brora distillery. Though it produced single malts early on, almost all the distillery’s output has been a primary highland component to some of current owner Diageo’s Johnnie Walker series. Maybe because new single malts are rarely seen from this distillery, the Clynelish Reserve was seen as a standout when Diageo released a Game of Thrones set in early 2019 to celebrate the hit show’s final season. There is no age statement or anything to stand it apart like cask finishing.
Puni Nova
Puni is a distillery founded in 2010 in South Tyrol by the Italian alps and is named after a local river. Their two pot stills were crafted in Rothes, Scotland and the curious architecture of the distillery makes the building appear much like a giant cheese grater. Puni is guided a great deal by the whisky-making tradition out of Scotland without seeking to copy and is Italy’s first single malt whisky. The Puni Nova is one of their first two offerings (along with Puni Alba) and is matured in first fill American and European ex-bourbon casks for three years and finished for a month in virgin oak casks.