Drink the Bottles

Dark Arts Whiskey House & Alchemy Lab just celebrated their 3-year anniversary.  The former Wilderness Trail blender and his team of whiskey scientists have created a sizeable footprint in just a few years, trailblazing unique and welcoming expressions, blended expertly. If you haven't tried Dark Arts yet due to distribution in your state, you need to get on their website and check out a bottle or two.  They're all very unique and the combination of flavors leave you scratching your head - in a good way! This is the Dark Arts Straighr Rye Whiskey Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels with Toasted Amburana Oak Staves.  Sure, it's a mouth full, but it's also... well, a mouth full!  Better known as Ripple Rye II, this is a 7.5 year MGP sourced whiskey, finished under the direction of Macauley Minton, resulting in tons of flavors. Bright copper color with aromas of freshly baked Biscoff cookie, vanilla frosting and ripe red fruits.  The maple is there but not overwhe...

If you know anything  about whiskey, you know that blending the spirits is nothing new.  However, it truly takes an exceptional talent to have the senses needed to make this work successfully.  Nearly anyone can blend whiskey.  But only a handful of folks can turn blended whiskey into amazing products that blend seamlessly and like magic.  Chief Alchemist Macaulay Minton is completely dialed in when it comes to producing a product that is unique and also makes you as giddy as a school girl. Today we taste and share the  Dark Arts Amburana Oak Stave Finished Small Batch Rye  which has a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% barley.  While each batch is naturally different, the blends are from six to eight year age statements and contain three barrels for each small batch.  The whiskey is distilled in Indiana (most likely MGP) and the finishing and bottling happens in Lexington, KY.  We tasted this sweet treat neat in our favorite mini Belgian beer ...