Of all of the annual whiskey releases — and there are numerous — few draw as a lot collective pleasure amongst whiskey followers as WhistlePig’s Boss Hog. Now in its eleventh yr, the most recent iteration is dubbed Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut and options one of many rarest growing old methods we’ve ever seen.
The Juggernaut discovered inspiration in Thandai, an fragrant Indian drink made with nuts and spices. After encountering Thandai in the course of the Holi competition in Jaipur, members of the WhistlePig crew sourced the requisite elements wanted to create the world’s first Thandai whiskey barrels. These barrels had been seasoned with aged rye that was merged with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel, poppy and black peppercorn. First, Boss Hog XI underwent intensive growing old in new American oak barrels earlier than transferring to the Thandai barrels for extra growing old.
Rarity is nothing new for WhistlePig. Boss Hog X invoked frankincense, myrrh, and mead in its cask ending protocols, whereas Boss Hog IX was completed in Greek fig nectar casks and tentura casks. The entire idea is constructed on the premise of being daring and totally different. There are even guidelines governing every year’s launch: It have to be single barrel, bottled at proof, powerfully advanced, distinctive from something they’ve performed earlier than, and “stupendous.”
Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut hits these marks. The Thandai spice profile interprets to the liquid, which sports activities notes of cardamom, clove, allspice, and black pepper. All that spice is balanced by orchard fruits, tropical fruits, fennel, and a contact of candy oak. The end is lengthy and spicy, with undercurrents of juicy fruits.
“Yearly we problem ourselves to craft a rye that’s extra stupendous, impressed, and complicated than every version of The Boss Hog earlier than it,” mentioned Meghan Eire, Head Blender at WhistlePig. She referred to as this yr’s model the model’s largest problem but, however when the crew found Thandai in India, they knew they needed to discover a option to showcase that spice profile in rye whiskey.
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut is on the market now in choose liquor shops and bars, and it’s additionally on-line. It’s packaged in a 750 mL bottle and contains a handmade pewter pig topper within the fashion of an Indian elephant, in order that’s a enjoyable contact. The rye whiskey is bottled between 103.8 – 105.2 proof (our bottle comes from barrel one and is 103.8 proof) and has a advised retail value of $599.99. If you need a bottle, act quick — The Boss Hog sequence is standard amongst whiskey nerds and collectors.
