The Boss Hog is WhistlePig's annual statement release, and the thirteenth chapter is among the strangest and most ambitious they have made. The Golden Pharaoh takes aged straight rye from new American oak and then finishes it in barrels seasoned with Egyptian black honey and tiger nut, two ingredients with essentially no precedent in American whiskey. Tiger nut is not a nut at all but a small tuber cultivated in Egypt since antiquity, sweet and almond like, and black honey is a dark, intensely concentrated Egyptian honey. Seasoning barrels with both and then resting rye in them produces something genuinely unlike a sherry or port finish. Every bottle in the series comes from a single barrel and is bottled at that barrel's own strength, with no blending and no dilution. This bottle is barrel 6005, bottled at 104.5 proof, 52.2 percent alcohol by volume. Another Golden Pharaoh bottle will carry different numbers, since the series runs across a range of barrel strengths. What that gets you is the whiskey exactly as the wood left it. The nose opens on brown sugar, cinnamon and toasted almond over dark honey and toasted oak. The palate is full bodied and commanding, layering molasses and light honey against bold rye spice, baking spice and black pepper, and it closes soft and long on toasted almond and brown sugar oatmeal. The presentation matches the ambition, with a hand cast pewter pharaoh topper etched with hieroglyphics and a collector box that opens like a tomb. Drink it neat, or add a few drops of water.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
52.2% |
| Proof |
104.5 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Region |
Shoreham, Vermont |
| Category |
Straight Rye Whiskey |
| Expression |
The Boss Hog XIII, The Golden Pharaoh |
| Barrel Number |
6005 |
| Maturation |
New American oak, finished in Egyptian black honey and tiger nut seasoned barrels |
| Bottling |
Single barrel, bottled at barrel strength |
| Presentation |
Pewter pharaoh topper and tomb style collector box |
| Producer |
WhistlePig Whiskey, hand bottled on the WhistlePig Farm |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep golden amber with rich copper depth.
Nose: Opulent and layered, with brown sugar, cinnamon and toasted almond over dark honey, toasted oak, vanilla and a note of leather.
Palate: Full bodied and commanding, with molasses and light honey set against bold rye spice, dark caramel, baking spice and black pepper.
Finish: Long and soft, closing on toasted almond and brown sugar oatmeal with a warm honeyed sweetness.
FAQ
What proof is this bottle? This bottle is 104.5 proof, or 52.2 percent alcohol by volume, from barrel 6005. Because each bottle comes from a single barrel bottled at its own strength, the series ranges from roughly 102.6 to 105 proof.
What is the Egyptian black honey and tiger nut finish? The rye is finished in barrels seasoned with Egyptian black honey, a dark concentrated honey, and tiger nut, a sweet almond like tuber cultivated in Egypt since antiquity. The whiskey takes its character from the seasoned wood.
Is it a flavored whiskey? No. Nothing is added to the whiskey. The honey and tiger nut season the barrels, and the whiskey draws its character from resting in that wood, in the same way a sherry or port cask finish works.
Will another bottle taste the same? No. Every Boss Hog bottling comes from a single barrel with its own proof and character, and the barrel number is printed on each label.
What comes with it? A hand cast pewter pharaoh topper etched with hieroglyphics, and a collector box designed to open like a tomb with jewel toned interior artwork.
Where can I buy WhistlePig Boss Hog XIII online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
