THE STORY

The “Masters of Whiskey Series” was born from the core tenet of BLACKENED American Whiskey and Metallica…collaboration. This series combines the strengths of Master Distiller and Blender Rob Dietrich and renowned whiskey makers to re-imagine craft whiskey and create more complex expressions. Each of these limited edition whiskies are finished to their own unique playlist which is blasted to the barrels using BLACKENED’s proprietary BLACK NOISE sonic enhancement process.
The inspiration for the collaboration came from BLACKENED’s late Master Distiller and whiskey luminary, Dave Pickerell who was a close friend of Wes Henderson. Representing several generations of Kentucky distilling provenance, Henderson was inducted into the Kentucky bourbon hall of fame, joining his father, Lincoln Henderson, as one of the few father/son inductees in the history of the industry.

Every bottle of Tenjaku Whisky is a gif from the land that surrounds Mount Fuji. It is created in the city of Fuefuki which is located in the eastern part of the Kofu Basin in the Yamanashi district. The heart of this well balanced whisky is made with famed natural spring water from the Misaka mountain range which lends to its minerality. It is extracted from 250 meters below the surface and is filtered through porous volcanic rock. Tenjaku is the Japanese characters for the Skylark (Hibari) songbird.

Bottle Size: 750ml

Traverse City Whiskey Co.'s Barrel Proof American Cherry Whiskey is a fusion of robust character and vibrant fruitiness. This unique whiskey marries the intense, uncut strength of barrel proof bourbon with the luscious flavor of locally sourced Montmorency cherries. The result is a powerful and complex spirit that delights the senses with a harmonious balance of cherry sweetness and the bold, unadulterated essence of oak-aged bourbon. Every sip is a journey through layers of flavor, offering a bold and rich experience that sets it apart from traditional offerings. Traverse City Whiskey Co.'s Barrel Proof American Cherry Whiskey is a testament to their innovative spirit and commitment to crafting exceptional, one-of-a-kind whiskey expressions.

The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip. This Single Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of our signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice. Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.

TASTING NOTES

NOSE: Herbal and floral notes.

PALATE: Oolong tea complementing herbaceous notes of our signature PiggyBack 100% Rye.

FINISH: Rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

Navy Strength Gin is an intense but smooth gin, made for cocktails. This overproof gin is distilled with native finger limes and fresh ginger in the botanical basket, giving it great power and intensity. Turmeric adds weight to the palate and a fresh but earthy quality, and the palate is sweet and juicy but still very clean.

Most Recent Awards

Global Gin Masters 2023 - GOLD
Global Gin Masters 2022 - GOLD
ADI International Spirits Competition 2022 - SILVER
Asian Gin Masters 2020 - GOLD

Maker Notes

Flavored sake is an ideal way to wind down a meal after several delicious courses. Our Nigori sake in peach flavoring makes an excellent substitute for dessert. With a full, rich flavor that tastes like biting into a ripe peach at peak freshness, our delicious beverage will make you smile and ask for more. When you indulge in our 375 ML YUKI Peach sake, you get a fantastic treat to top off a wonderful meal. You can also try this drink as a tasty aperitif!

Notes of tart white peach and fresh almond show as gentle aromas and rich flavors in this creamy, full-bodied Nigori sake. Sweet and mouth-watering with a surprisingly clean finish!

Passion fruit is a climbing plant of the Passifloraceae family, native to Latin America. Also called granadilla, this fruit is a small tropical berry with fragrant flesh that differs from other fruits by its small black seeds. Giffard Crème de Fruit de la Passion brings the flavour of this fruit to cocktails with exotic accents.

Liqueur (crème de fruits) made from concentrated passion fruit juice.

Degree: 16% | Country of Origin: France

TASTING NOTES

Color: Gold color with nice orange hues.

Scent: Very characteristic fruity notes of passion fruit pulp.

Taste: Very fruity and velvety, followed by acidulous notes typical of passion fruit.

Maker Notes

The "American Spirit" with a unique Vermont twist

Bourbon has become “The American Spirit” in a way that cognac represents France, gin represents England and vodka represents Russia in the hearts of their consumers. We offer our own special Vermont take on the liquid gold so associated with Appalachia. We use only regionally-sourced, non-GMO grains and mature our bourbons on site in the clear, clean air of Vermont.

Our bourbon has a wonderful deep and rich aroma of Vermont-grown corn, smokiness on the palate, and a smooth aromatic finish. Since bringing our bourbon to market in May of 2014, we have been selling it at local farmers markets, the distillery and of course through the Vermont state liquor stores. The response has been overwhelming — we can barely keep it in stock!

Awards
Gold Medal - The San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Silver Medal - WSWA
Bronze Medal - San Diego

John Emerald Distilling Company is a family-run small-batch craft distillery from Opelika, Alabama that has been operational since 2014. It is the first legal distillery that opened in the state since the end of the Prohibition era, a year short of a hundred years later. It all started when John and his son Jimmy Sharp, both homebrewers, started looking into opening a brewery. Finding the market to be oversaturated, they turned to craft distilling instead and started rigorous training and education. They came upon an old cotton warehouse in Opelika, a small and business-friendly town where the mayor welcomed them with open arms. The distillery now operates on 8 thousand square feet and has a tasting room that is open for visitors. They produce several spirits using their 350-gallon hybrid pot, each product named after one of John's and Jimmy's ancestors their (grand) father John Emerald Sharp, a successful businessman, being the distillery's namesake. The spirits include award-winning gin, vodka, rum, and a single malt. The latter John Emerald Alabama Single Malt Whiskey is at the very core of their lineup and is the only one to share the name with the distillery itself. Then there's Hugh Wesley's Gin, Elizabeth Vodka, Spurgeon's Barrel Aged Rum, and Gene's Spiced Rum. This expression in John Emerald's Purveyor's Series Double Wood is a bourbon whiskey that is aged in new American oak barrels. But there's a twist, the barrels are filled with wood chips. In this case, toasted American white oak chips are used. The unique way of finishing the whiskey ensures that an extraordinary amount of liquid comes into contact with the wood, imparting the nicely-balanced sweet bourbon with an extra layer of oakiness.

If you love sweet and sour, then look no further. Smirnoff Sour Berry Lemon brings the perfect balance of sweet and sour with tart, tangy and fruity flavors of berry and lemon.

Our sipping Extra Aejo tequila is from the city of Tequila, Mexico and rested for a minimum of 3 years in American Oak barrels. It has a remarkably rich and balanced profile. The longer aging process brings forth fruit notes with delicious hints of caramel, sandalwood, and honey on the palate, giving it a full body with an exceptionally smooth finish.

Bottle size: 750ml

HIRO Sake is a Multi-Award Wining Handcrafted Premium Japanese Sake brewed and bottled in the Niigata Prefecture, the premier Sake producing region in Japan.

Size: 300ML

Proof: 30 (15% ABV)

Origin: Japan

Detailed Description

HIRO RED Junmai Sake is made once a year with Gohyakumanguko Sake rice, grown only by HIRO's own Kura (brewery) and water sourced from the pure melting snow of the Bandai-Asahi mountains of the Niigata Prefecture. HIRO RED Junmai Sake is made from Gohyakumanguko rice that is milled down to 60% of its original size, which removes the impurities in the outer layers of the rice. The heavily milled rice together with the melted snow water helps give HIRO RED its pristine clean crisp taste.

Hiro Junmai Sake 300ML Tasting Notes

Nose: Very inviting earthy notes, creamy vanilla nougat with peppered pear and banana aromas.

Palate: Delicate, light and smooth with a subtle sweetness and a complex silky, dry-yet-fruity with melon, tapioca, and white pepper accents.

Finish: Long and well rounded, with a medium body elegant finish.

Matured for a duration of eight months in French Oak barrels, this 100% agave tequila offers a smooth and sweet sipping experience, ideal for enjoying on the rocks or neat. Crafted from Valley agaves that are slow-roasted in traditional stone clay ovens, it embodies a rich and authentic flavor profile. Produced under NOM 1477 by Tequilera Puerta de Hierro, overseen by Leticia Hermosillo Ravelero in El Arenal, Jalisco.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Welcoming notes of caramel, vanilla, cooked agave, and a hint of cinnamon butter.

Palate: Delightfully caramelized agave, vanilla richness, subtle oak undertones, a touch of maple sweetness, and a pleasant hint of sweet cinnamon.

Finish: Lingering, effortlessly smooth, and sweet, providing a satisfying conclusion to the tasting experience.

Maker Notes

Writers’ Tears Double Oak is an exclusive Irish whiskey created using two woods and two styles of premium Irish whiskey. A blend of Single Pot Still and Single Malt Irish whiskey, aged in two types of wood – American Oak Bourbon Barrels from Kentucky and French Oak Cognac Casks from the Cognac Region in France. It is triple-distilled, non-chill filtered and bottled at 46% ABV. This expression is made possible by a close collaboration between the Walsh family in Ireland’s County Carlow and the Legaret family in Cognac, France.

TASTING NOTES

NOSE: Dashes of sweet vanilla, notes of cinnamon, plum & poached pear.

TASTE: Citrus zest, chocolate undertones and lingering spice.

FINISH: Decadent and elegant. One to savour.

Maker Notes

Sam Brannan was tall, charismatic, and had a talent for evocative and powerful writing, as well as distilling fine brandy. In 1846, Sam took a voyage on the ship “Brooklyn” from New York to San Francisco with a printing press in tow. When he landed in San Francisco, he started the town’s first newspaper, The California Star, which debuted on January 9, 1847. 

In 1848, Sam bolted into the old San Francisco Plaza and was the first to announce the stupendous discovery, “Gold, Gold, Gold, from the American River!”. The whole city followed his lead in the search of gold and his newspaper, The California Star, became known as, “The Voice of the Gold Rush.” 

The Calistoga Star brandies are a nod to not only Sam’s first newspaper in San Francisco, The California Star, but also his love for distilling brandy he called “Calistoga Cognac” that critics during the era called “a brandy equal to the finest brandies in France”.

Distillate: Chardonnay, French Colombard, Grenache, Muscat and Symphony grapes from the Central Valle

Aging: Cellared for a minimum of 7 years and up to 15 years in a combination of 60% Column aged in used Bourbon barrels and 40% Alembic aged in French Oak

Color: Amber

Aroma: Toasted oak, orange zest, clove, cinnamon

Palate: Rich palate with a warming sensation from the alcohol; notes of caramel, plum, walnut and oak

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is an unrivaled masterpiece – an exquisite combination of Scotland’s rarest and most exceptional whiskies. Only one in every ten thousand casks has the elusive quality, character and flavor to deliver the remarkable signature taste. An extraordinary whiskey for extraordinary occasions.

Christmas Balls (4-Pack), Country: France, LIMITED RELEASE

A light-bodied, yet decadent offering with notes of fresh lime zest and caramel, this sipper is sure to impress newcomers to aged rum or those with mature palates. Bright and young, this rum finishes long and easy, with tantalizing vanilla and spice.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Delicious on its own over ice or in your classic daiquiri or mojito.
STRENGTH: Distilled at 40% ABV
APPEARANCE: Deep Brown & Ruby
NOSE: Perfumed. Citrus notes and Caramel.
BODY: Smooth. Balanced. Light to medium.
WOOD: Certified 10 Years in White Oak
PALATE: Well balanced. Flower and citrus notes. A hint of spice and tropical fruit.
FINISH:: Medium finish. lingering vanilla and spicy molasses flavors.

Bottle Size: 750ml

The famed Sazerac Coffee House was founded in 1850 on Exchange Alley in New Orleans, Louisiana and soon gained fame as the home of “America’s First Cocktail” known as the Sazerac. Using rye whiskey in place of the French brandy, a dash of Peychaud Bitters, and Herbsaint, what eventually became the official cocktail of New Orleans was created.  This straight rye has a mellow spice and dry sweetness that dances on the tongue, giving pure delight that is worthy of the Sazerac name.