Pinhook

A rich a lively Bourbon with a perfect pedigree at 49% ABV.

The story of Pinhook Whiskey starts in 2014 with its first release. You see, each fall the folks in the newly restored Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, create a single batch of Bourbon and a single batch of Rye. Each release is named after a thoroughbred racehorse coming up in the Bourbon Lane Stables — the horse’s stats are even printed on the labels. So each issuance is a bit different, just like each racehorse is different. It’s a great story and they sell out every year.

Let’s start with the horse… his name is actually “Bourbon War.” That’s perfect, right? He was foaled (born) on February 23, 2016, he is sixteen hands tall, and he is showing a lot of promise with two wins and one place in seven starts. He ran in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes this year. The Pinhook Bourbon named after him is four years old with a mash bill of 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley. It’s then proofed to 49% ABV — which is a very promising number indeed. And the profile comes strong down the stretch with notes of figs, butterscotch, and ripe tropical fruits. Both horse and Bourbon are winners.