This Rare Bourbon Style Could Be the Next Frontier for Whiskey Lovers
When Raj Bhakta founded WhistlePig in 2009 he helped kickstart the premium rye category. Back then, a $100 bottle of that almost-forgotten style of whiskey was preposterous. Oh, how times have changed. Today, connoisseurs shove each other out of the way when the brand’s annual BossHog limited edition drops at $500 a pop.
Much has changed in the interim for Bhakta, as well. After an unceremonious separation from the company he started, the serial entrepreneur took up residency in southwestern France. There, he fell in love with the region’s signature aged grape brandy, armagnac—cognac’s more rustic, column-distilled sibling.
Now Bhakta is returning to the world of whiskey—sort of. With the upcoming release of Hogsworth, he’s combined his love of spirits from opposite sides of the pond to come away with a wholly unique amalgam of armagnac and bourbon. He’s hoping to do for blended whiskey what he once did for rye: place them along the top shelf. But is this little piggy ready for that market? The answer is in the juice.
Related: Bhakta's New Bourbon Is Rare, Delicious, and Has a Unique Mashbill
First, a few technical details. The inaugural release of Hogsworth consists of 52 percent bourbon, mostly sourced from Tennessee, with a smaller portion coming from Minnesota, and all of it just over 4 years in age. The remaining 48 percent of the blend is rounded out by a trio of armagnacs entered into the barrel in 2012, 2010 and 1982. By keeping the majority of the product a bourbon, Hogsworth can legally be sold as a “blended bourbon” on American shelves. It’s an obscure TTB category, to be sure. But then again, so was rye at one point in our recent past.
The copper colored liquid surrenders sweet aromas of treacle, tempered by cinnamon as it swirls in a snifter. The bouquet here will be far more familiar to bourbon drinkers than brandy fans. This trend holds true in the initial sip, which demonstrates a tannic boldness along with additional varieties of baking spice; nutmeg and black pepper. The armagnac finally arrives to the party during the finish, when a vinous, dark fruit jam juts out. French oak can also be felt in the steady structure of the sip, which demonstrates refined elegance, particularly when a drop or two of water has been applied to the 93.8-proof liquid. It’s not too rich and it’s not too dry.
Courtesy of Hogsworth Bourbon
Hogsworth is not nearly as audacious an offering as it might seem. Seasoned bourbon sippers have been exploring armagnac for the better part of a decade, compelled by the pronounced oakiness and caramel complexities of celebrated expressions such as L’Encantada. Hogsworth might merely be the next chapter in that ongoing movement, if adventurous aficionados are willing to take the plunge at $49 a bottle.
Currently, it’s available exclusively from Hogsworth.com in $150 three-packs. That’s a big ask for a blended bourbon and a gutsy bet by Bhakta on this lesser known category. But wagering on the unknown has paid off for him in the past.
Related: 21 Best Brandies and Cognacs to Drink Right Now
In fact, we had to ask if his new spirit's name was an unsubtle nod to Bhakta's old rye whiskey days.
"The simple truth is I like the name Hogsworth...and I have good luck with the porcine,” he said.
If fans of whiskey or brandy are willing to follow his lead once more, they won’t be the only ones living high on the hog.