WhistlePig, based in Quechee, Vermont has established itself as a renowned Rye house specializing in experimental and aged Rye. Each year they craft an incredibly special Rye for collectors, and new this year is WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII Feather & Flame Straight Rye Whiskey aged in new American oak and Pulque Curado de Cacao barrels. The impressive gift box tells the story behind the limited edition and has an inspired design that opens to reveal the stunning collector bottle featuring a collectible pewter stopper, which is sure to appeal to afficionados. With a retail price of $599.99 for 750 ml, WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame, Straight Rye Whiskey, is an exclusive and exceptional release and is the perfect gift for collectors of fine spirits. Cheers!
About WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame
“After a decade of global inspiration, WhistlePig returned to the Americas to craft its latest iteration: WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame. Feather & Flame rises to new sensory heights through flavors forged in the fires of creation and inspired by two ancient Aztec drinks of the gods: pulque – an earthy, ancestral fermented beverage born from the agave plant – and xocoatl – the ancient bitter and spicy drink made from cocoa beans from which modern chocolate is derived. When the WhistlePig team traveled to central Mexico and the two flavors converged, they were struck with inspiration for the next chapter of The Boss Hog’s story of exploration and discovery.”
Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig describes the release, “Pulque and xocoatl are two powerful flavors in central Mexico. Pulque’s continuous fermentation process means it has to be consumed quickly before it spoils, and xocoatl doesn’t match what most people think of as ‘chocolate.’ We embraced the strength and power of the flavors and created the world’s first whiskey finished in pulque curado de cacao barrels to bring a rich, savory, aromatic, and earthy elevation to the complex character of Rye Whiskey.”
“After countless calendar cycles spent aging in new American oak barrels, Aztec flavors merge in maturation within barrels seasoned with pulque curado crafted from agave, cacao, and Mexican chitlepín, guajillo, and pasilla peppers. When uncorked, aromas of caramel cream and fresh-cracked caraway seed meet the nose. Bright citrus leads the way at first sip, balanced by soft oak and cocoa notes with subtle earthy spice of rain-soaked slate in the background. Finally, savory cacao gives way to herbaceous chili pepper notes.”
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII Feather & Flame
Bottle Information: WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame Straight Rye Whiskey, 104.8 Proof (52.4% Alcohol), with barrel number listed (our bottle was Barrel 3).
Tasting notes – The Experience: With a retail price of $599.99, you expect, and certainly hope, that the product delivers what it promises, and WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame not only does that but also exceeded our expectations.
The experience began by reading the interesting history and inspiration for the limited release on its presentation gift box, then gently pulling the ribbon, which opened the door of the box, revealing WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII, Feather & Flame with an ethereal feathered pig deity stopper wielding an Aztec chocolate whiskey – handcrafted by Danforth Pewter in Vermont. The pewter stopper is whimsical, stunning, and has a nice heft to it.
We used specially shaped tulip Whiskey tasting glasses that concentrated the heady layered aromatics of this very special release, to fully appreciate and experience all of the exotic nuances and to highlight its rich amber color before we even took a sip.
From the heady aromatics of caramel and cocoa notes, to its elegant yet powerful delivery of cocoa, caramel, and spice notes on the palate, WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII, Feather & Flame delivered a memorable tasting experience. This is an exceptional American Straight Rye Whiskey that should be experienced neat with nothing to detract from its essence, not a little bit of water, not ice, and certainly it is not intended to be mixed in cocktails.
Luxury Experience Recipes
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame is purely a sipping spirit, and we wanted to create a pairing dessert that could be enjoyed with the taste of the Rye to provide a delectable finish after dinner or the end of a night.
Luxury Experience – Mexican Chocolate Pudding & Florentine Cookie
Luxury Experience was “In The Kitchen and Behind The Bar®” crafting a delicious pairing dessert of Luxury Experience – Mexican Chocolate Pudding with Florentine Cookie that complements the complex nuances of this gorgeous, multi-layered sensuous Rye Whiskey notably its cocoa, caramel, citrus, and spicy finish notes.
Luxury Experience – Mexican Chocolate Pudding is decadently rich and creamy and made from Nestle Abuelita Authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink Tablets (available in grocery stores and also online), Half & Half, egg yolks, sugar, Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, salt, and a small amount of cayenne to complement the flavors of WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame.
Luxury Experience – Florentine Cookie brings out the caramel, citrus, and nutty notes of WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame and complements our recipe for Mexican Chocolate Pudding. The cookie combines chopped pecans, toasted unsalted sliced almonds, and toasted Marcona almonds with sea salt, butter, brown sugar, orange peel, Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, and heavy cream. Baked to crisp perfection, while the cookie is delicious on its own, paired with the pudding, it enhances and elevates the overall WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame experience.
We like to serve WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame in a small tulip tasting glass for a maximum aromatic experience. We opted to serve the Mexican Chocolate Pudding warm in a Martini glass and garnished it with a Florentine cookie.
Luxury Experience – Florentine Cookies
Yield: 22 Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius).
Florentine Cookie Ingredients:
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1
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Cup
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Mixed Nuts, chopped* (see Note below)
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4
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Tablespoons
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Butter
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0.5
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Cup
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Light Brown Sugar
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2
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Tablespoons
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Flour
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1
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Tablespoon
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Orange Peel, finely chopped
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5
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Dashes
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|
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4
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Ounces
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Heavy Cream
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Note: We used a mixture of one-third cup of toasted unsalted pecans, one-third cup of toasted unsalted sliced almonds, and one-third cup of toasted Marcona almonds with sea salt. As the Marcona almonds are salted, there is no need for additional salt in the recipe.
Method for the Cookies: Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add light brown sugar and bring mixture to a boil. Add orange peel and Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters. Slowly add the heavy cream a little at a time to not curdle the cream. Add the nuts and stir to combine, add the flour, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon, drop 1 tablespoon of the cookie mixture on the baking sheet. Space well, as the cookies will thin out and spread to a 4-5” diameter. (Maximum of 6 to a baking sheet). Bake for about 10 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Lower oven heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93.3 degrees Celsius) and continue baking until cookies are crisp. Remove from oven. Let the cookies cool on a baking rack. Store cookies in a metal container. Separate each layer with parchment or wax paper.
Luxury Experience – Mexican Chocolate Pudding
Yield: 6 Servings
Mexican Chocolate Pudding Ingredients:
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2
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Large
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Egg Yolksa
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0.25
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Cup
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Sugar
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0.25
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Cup
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Cornstarch
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1
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Pinch
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Salt
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3
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Cups
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Half & Half (or Light Cream)
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15
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Dashes
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|
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2
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Tablets
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|
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0.25
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Teaspoon
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Cayenne
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Method for the Mexican Chocolate Pudding: Add egg yolks to a food processor and process until smooth. Add sugar and process until it is exceptionally smooth. Add cornstarch and let food processor run to create a very smooth consistency.
Meanwhile, heat Half & Half over medium heat, add salt, Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, Abuelita Authentic Hot Chocolate tablets, and cayenne, and bring to a boil, stirring to combine until the chocolate tablets are melted.
With food processor running, add a tablespoon of chocolate cream to the egg mixture. Slowly add another tablespoon and repeat three more times (this is to temper the eggs, so the eggs do not curdle). Add the rest of the hot egg and chocolate mixture to the saucepan and bring it to a boil stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then spoon into Martini glasses or small serving bowls. Garnish with a Florentine cookie and enjoy with a tasting glass of WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame.
Other Rye Whiskey Food Pairing Ideas include pairing it with cheeses (Sharp cheddar, blue cheese, aged gouda), steak, and desserts (dark chocolate, pecan pie, gingerbread).
Until next time, cheers!
To learn more about WhistlePig and their exceptional line of spirits, please visit their website: www.whistlepigwhiskey.com. WhistlePig is distributed to all 50 States and is growing internationally.
WhistlePig Tasting Room
Second Floor of The Parker
1792 Quechee Main Street
Quechee, VT 05001
United States
Website: www.whistlepigwhiskey.com
Hours: Monday through Sunday from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm.
WhistlePig Pavilion
7418 Mountain Road
Stowe, Vermont 05672
United States
Website: www.whistlepigwhiskey.com
Winter Hours: Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm. Please note that hours are subject to change. Please visit the website for more information.
WhistlePig Social Media
Facebook: www.facebook.com/whistlepigwhiskey
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