WhistlePig RoadStock Rye Whiskey Finished On The Road Limited Edition 750ml

WhistlePig RoadStock Rye Whiskey is one of the most audacious finishing experiments ever undertaken in American whiskey, a 6,000 mile cross country journey that doubled as the world's first rolling rickhouse. Before departure from the WhistlePig farm in Shoreham, Vermont, half the rye was transferred into used Bordeaux blend casks from Jordan Winery in Healdsburg, California (previously holding 78% cabernet, 12% merlot, 8% petit verdot, and 2% malbec), while the other half stayed in original virgin oak. The barrels were loaded onto a specially designed mobile rickhouse semi trailer, driven to Chicago, and pushed west along the historic Route 66 to Los Angeles and onward to Paso Robles. At Firestone Walker Brewing Company, the virgin oak portion was racked into used Imperial Stout, Imperial Blonde Ale, and Experimental Ale barrels for the return journey to Vermont. The constant road vibration, shifting temperatures, altitude, and barometric pressure across the country acted as accelerated finishing influences no static warehouse could replicate. Blender Meghan Ireland married the finishes back at the farm, bottling at 86 proof and crowning each bottle with a miniature rubber tire topper. A discontinued limited release and a true one of one in the WhistlePig catalog.

ABV / Proof

Tasting Notes

Color: Medium amber with warm rose copper highlights from the Bordeaux cask finish.

Nose: Vanilla and dried fig with honey, raspberry jam, and a touch of tobacco leaf perfume.

Palate: Brown sugar and mocha lift up front, layered with stewed fruit, barrel spice, and toasted cedar from the multi cask finishing program.

Finish: Long with roasted malt, tanned leather, fresh cracked black pepper, and a cinnamon roll along the fade.

FAQ

What makes RoadStock unique? It is the world's first whiskey finished entirely on the road. WhistlePig built a specially designed mobile rickhouse on an 18 wheeler and drove rye barrels 6,000 miles round trip from Vermont to Chicago to Los Angeles to Paso Robles and back, using road vibration, altitude, and temperature swings as accelerated finishing forces. No other whiskey has been finished this way.

What casks were used for the finish? Two parallel finishing programs ran simultaneously. Half the rye traveled in used Jordan Winery Bordeaux blend casks (cabernet, merlot, petit verdot, malbec) for the entire 6,000 mile journey. The other half stayed in virgin oak going west, then transferred at Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles into used Imperial Stout, Imperial Blonde Ale, and Experimental Ale barrels for the return trip. Both halves were blended together at the farm.

Is RoadStock still in production? No. RoadStock was a one off limited release built around a single tractor trailer load of barrels. It is discontinued and unlikely to ever be reproduced, making remaining bottles increasingly scarce on the secondary market.

How does this compare to other WhistlePig releases? Compare with the flagship WhistlePig 10 Year Rye, the triple wine cask Old World 12 Year, or the cocktail focused PiggyBack 6 Year. RoadStock sits in a category of its own as the brand's most experimental finishing project.

Where can I buy WhistlePig RoadStock Rye online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.