Catoctin Creek Black Friday Barrel Select Rye Whiskey 46%

Volume: 0.75 litres | Alcohol content: 46% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

A finish in former stout beer casks distinguishes this Black Friday edition of the Barrel Select series. Catoctin Creek makes the whisky from 100% rye and distils it in copper pot stills. Maturation in new American oak casks is followed by a finish in Black Friday casks from the brewery Crooked Run Fermentation.

The whisky comes from casks 2694 and 2695, with a release of 628 numbered bottles. It is bottled at 46% without chill filtration or added colouring. Its distinctly creamy mouthfeel combines with pronounced spice notes, complemented by chocolate, fruit and roasted nuts.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Cinnamon and cocoa appear first, followed by nutmeg and cloves. Dark chocolate leads the nose, accompanied by green apple and mint, with a restrained menthol freshness. After the first sips, dark red fruit notes emerge and the cinnamon becomes more pronounced.
• Palate: The whisky feels creamy, almost viscous, yet gentle on the palate. Ripe pear and cocoa meet black pepper, roasted malt and liquorice. The spice is stronger than on the nose, with cloves particularly prominent. Cocoa and lightly smoky roasted notes remain in the background, while the malt adds a subtle sweetness.
• Finish: The medium-length finish combines roasted macadamia nuts with sweet caramel and a pleasant mouthfeel.

Distillery/Bottler:

Becky and Scott Harris founded Catoctin Creek in 2009 in Purcellville, in Virginia's Loudoun Valley. It became Loudoun County's first legal distillery since before Prohibition. The name refers to the Catoctin mountain range and the local creek of the same name.

As head distiller, Becky Harris draws on her experience as a chemical engineer. Two pot stills are central to production, and the distillery sources grain and fruit locally. For its rye whisky, rye flour is combined with water, enzymes and yeast in steel tanks. After fermentation, the mash is distilled in copper stills. Alongside rye whisky, Catoctin Creek also produces gin and fruit brandies.

Facts: