New Release: Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Batch #1

March 15, 2022

Originally appeared on The Bourbon Flight 

Castle & Key Distillery has announced its first-ever bourbon release, Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Batch #1, which will be available starting on March 26th at Castle & Key Distillery for $50.00, followed by the release of Batch #2 in early May.

Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey 2022 Batch #1 features a mash bill of 73% white corn, 10% rye, and 17% malted barley and is a blend of 80 barrels that have been aged 4 years and bottled at 98 proof (49% ABV). Batch #1 is described as having aromas of “honey, golden raisin, brown butter, orange blossom, baked nutmeg, and stone fruit,” with notes of “toffee, bread dough, dates, baking spice, and toasted almonds” on the palate, concluding with “cinnamon and allspice” on the finish.

Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey 2022 Batch #2 features a mash bill of 73% white corn, 10% rye, and 17% malted barley and is a blend of 80 barrels that have been aged 4 years and bottled at 99 proof (49.5% ABV). Batch #2 is described as having aromas of “rye bread, dry cinnamon, pine resin, red apple peel, and barn wood,” with notes of “burnt sugar, dried fig, cracked pepper, and cherry wood” on the palate, concluding with “charred oak and molasses” on the finish.

Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey Batch #1 and Batch #2 will be sold throughout the states of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

 

 

Pinhook 2019 Plans - Vertical Series and Beyond

So earlier this week, after some snooping on the TTB COLA website, I found the labels for some upcoming Pinhook releases. After posting them here on my blog in my regular Caught on COLA - Bourbon feature, I decided to post them on Instagram. When I did, I gambled and asked Pinhook Bourbon Founder and Master Taster Sean Josephs if he would provide any insight into the upcoming releases. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised, no… I was shocked with the response I got. He not only responded but went into some detail. No release dates but… well read below and you will see.

The first label I posted was the Bourbon War which is this year’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey. I finished my post by asking Mr. Josephs if he had any tips on a release date? This was his reply:

"This is the fall bottling of Pinhook’s first release of our Vertical Series. Age statement of 4YO (proofed to 98) and will be released for 9 years, with the age statement increasing by 1 year annually. I will proof each vintage to what I think is the ideal proof. Idea is that you can collect from age 4-12 and follow the barrels as they mature. Doing the same for rye, with the first Vertical Rye coming Spring of 2020. Cheers"

My next post was for Rye Humor and likewise, I finished the post asking Mr. Josephs if there was any info he could share. His reply was:

"I was working on this blend 2 weeks ago at Castle & Key. Our first cask strength rye release. MGP barrels that will be a little shy of 4YO. Proof won’t be known until we dump, but guessing in the 115 range. Total production for the country is 65 barrels. For whatever it’s worth, coming from my biased perspective, it is ridiculously good"

Now I am sure his perspective is biased but I am also sure that the rye is really, really, REALLY good as well. The concept of the Vertical Series has me extremely intrigued and I really hope I can get in on them. I’ll do my best to track them down and will even try to review them but coming across them is not always easy for me. Unfortunately, I am not in the circles that people like Mr. Minnick and others are where they are all but guaranteed access to some of these releases. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for them, I’m just saying that I will struggle to get the Vertical Series and bring my thoughts on it to you.

Hmmm… I have apparently gone off rambling. I’m sorry. Well, that’s it for now. I hope you enjoyed this little bit of insight into this year’s Pinhook releases. If you have any additional information or thoughts, please let me know in the comments.  And thanks again to Sean Joseph.