SHOREHAM — WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, a Shoreham-based business, has announced the arrival of The Boss Hog: Spirit of Mortimer, the brand’s follow-up to last year’s Double Gold Medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
This 100 percent rye whiskey is bottled at full barrel strength; and at approximately 117 to 124 proof. Spirit of Mortimer continues The Boss Hog legacy as WhistlePig’s most premium products.
Dedicated to WhistlePig’s dearly departed mascot, a Kunekune heritage-breed pig named Mortimer, each bottle of The Boss Hog: Spirit of Mortimer is sealed with a custom top depicting its winged namesake in flight. The tops are hand-crafted at Danforth Pewter in Middlebury.
“The (original) Boss Hog was a huge success for us last year,” said WhistlePig Founder and CEO Raj Bhakta. “We didn’t want to simply reissue that edition for 2014, so we seized the opportunity to pay tribute to our beloved Mortimer in the most fitting way possible — by debuting our richest offering yet.”
Only WhistlePig’s finest barrels were eligible for The Boss Hog: Spirit of Mortimer. Aged nearly 14 years, 50 barrels were hand-selected by Master Distiller Dave Pickerell to comprise the exclusive release.
“The taste signature stays in-line with the high standard set by past (WhistlePig) releases,” says Pickerell. “It maintains WhistlePig’s familiar deep amber color and rich notes of caramel, vanilla and oak, with undertones of mint and winter fruit, making for a warm, bold taste.”
The Boss Hog: Spirit of Mortimer is available now at distributors and retail locations nationwide and carries a suggested retail price of $189 for 750ml.