WhistlePig Whiskey’s karmic quest for whiskey wonder culminates with the debut of The Boss Hog XI. For this year’s iteration of the highly prized bottling, WhistlePig’s whiskey makers searched beyond their WhistlePig Vermont farm to find enlightenment 7,000 miles away in Rajasthan, India. The Land of Kings revealed the perfect blend of spices to crown the latest rare edition in the storied The Boss Hog collection: The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut.
The Juggernaut unites WhistlePig’s oldest and boldest Straight Rye Whiskey with the alluring spices of Thandai, an aromatic Indian drink born of nuts and spices. After encountering Thandai during the Holi festival in Jaipur, WhistlePig’s experimental team combed Delhi’s Khari Baoli spice market for ingredients to create the world’s first Thandai whiskey barrels. These unique finishing barrels are seasoned with a marriage of aged Rye with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel, poppy and black peppercorn.
“Every year we challenge ourselves to craft a Rye that is more stupendous, inspired, and intricate than each edition of The Boss Hog before it,” said Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig. “After expanding our original five promises for The Boss Hog to ten tenants last year, we set out on our biggest challenge yet. When we discovered Thandai in India, we knew we had to find a way to translate its spice profile to a showstopping whiskey barrel for this precious Rye.”
Following extended aging in new American Oak barrels, each Single Barrel of The Boss Hog XI finishes its saga in the experimental Thandai barrels before bottling at proof to preserve its power. A medley of traditional Indian spices greets the nose, with cardamom joining the Rye’s natural allspice, clove and black pepper aromatics. The structured spice profile is balanced by playful over-ripe orchard fruit before cardamom, saffron and fennel take center stage. The Juggernaut finishes in waves of baking spice notes giving way to the soft sweetness of tropical fruit.
To crown the Rajah of Rye, The Boss Hog XI’s handmade, Vermont pewter pig topper is adorned in the style of the majestic Indian elephant. The limited edition The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut comes in a 750ml bottle and is bottled between 103.8 – 105.2 Proof (51.9-52.6% ABV), with a suggested retail price of $599.99. It is sold at the best liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the nation and online at shop.whistlepigwhiskey.com. Collectors can authenticate their bottle using NFC technology on the back label.
Photos courtesy of WhistlePig