Blackened American Whiskey
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Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Distiller Notes
A truly unconventional whiskey of uncompromising quality. Blackened is a marriage of the finest bourbons, ryes and whiskeys, hand selected by Dave himself. Each of the whiskeys offer unique flavor that play a key role in the final spirit. Predominately bourbon, the sweetness of Blackened pairs perfectly with the savory spice offered by the high rye composition of 46%.
Dave is renown for his whiskey finishes—an aspect he calls "flavoring for adults." By resting the whiskey in the barrel of another spirit during the maturation phase, the whiskey picks up some of the unique, residual flavors left behind in the barrel. For Blackened, Dave chose to finish the whiskey in black brandy casks. The result is an added apricot note that plays perfectly alongside the honey and caramel tones of the pre-finished spirit.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A collaboration between iconic heavy metal band Metallica and the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, this is a blend of American whiskeys, on average aged about seven years, and finished with sonic aging in ex-brandy barrels—yes, that means Metallica's music was played to the whiskey. Look for bold honey, vanilla and golden raisin, drying into a spicy, slightly fiery black pepper and clove finish.
Metallica wanted to create a new-to-world whiskey that stood out from the rest and they needed to find the perfect Master Distiller for the collaboration. Dave Pickerell was a world-renowned, legendary distiller that had cut his own path in the world of beverage alcohol. A master in the art of traditional whiskey distilling and a pioneer in new ways that continually pushed the limits of the status quo.
Dave saw an opportunity to push the limits even further – a blend of straight whiskeys with a really cool finishing process. By carefully selecting a unique blend of the finest bourbons and ryes from North America, he brought a multitude of flavors together, finished them in black brandy casks, and then kicked it up a notch by using a proprietary BLACK NOISE™ sonic-enhancement process that used Metallica’s music to extract even more flavor from the barrel! The result was a super smooth whiskey with a character of its own.
After Dave’s passing, Master Distiller & Blender Rob Dietrich joined the team. As the guardian of Dave’s legacy, Rob oversees the sourcing, blending and cask finishing of the original recipe.
Capturing a broad range in one category, American Whiskey refers to any spirit made in America by distilling a mash of fermented grains—typically corn, wheat, rye or barley. American Whiskey must be distilled to no more than 95% alcohol and bottled at 40% or higher. In order to be labeled a straight Whiskey, it also must be aged in white oak barrels for a minimum of two years and not contain any added colors or flavors.