Maker Notes

Our 7 year release of Vertical Series Rye is paired with Tiz Rye Time, son of Tiznowout and Shanon Nicole, by Majestic Warrior

Blended from just 28 barrels, this 7-year-old rye is the most limited release in the Vertical Series to date. A lively nose of caramel, orange zest, cedar, and clove move to a powerful palate of chocolate, root beer, cardamom, and tobacco.

The Vertical Series explores the true impact of age on a whiskey’s character by following a single group of MGP barrels as they mature from four to 12 years. With each vintage, the proof is set to best showcase the unique attributes of that year’s blend. This unprecedented series of annual limited releases lets whiskey lovers experience the arc of flavors throughout a nine-year journey.

Pinhook was founded with the ethos of sourcing great barrels of whiskey and taking a creative and unique approach to blending and proofing. The Collaboration Series reflects our commitment to exploring the ever growing craft whiskey movement and “pinhooking” barrels based on experience, quality, a little patience, and a bit of luck.

Edition No. 3 – Jordan Salcito
In this third edition, Sean revisited his wine roots with Jordan Salcito, our 2024 collaborator. Jordan is an internationally renowned sommelier with a storied career in the wine world and at leading restaurants including Restaurant Daniel, Eleven Madison Park, and Momofuku where her wine list was named the “Most Original Wine List in the World” by World of Fine Wine Magazine. In 2016, she founded Drink RAMONA, a family of award-winning Italian spritzes. 

She bonded with Sean Josephs over their shared love of wine and backgrounds as sommeliers. Together, they blended this extraordinary Australian whisky from four distinct styles of Starward Australian Single Malt, which had been exclusively aged in red wine barrels, further bridging the worlds of wine and whiskey.

Whiskey aged in red wine barrels from Starward Distillery
Like Pinhook, Starward is known for moving beyond tradition and letting curiosity and creativity be their guide. Inspired by the famed Australian wine region in their backyard, they aged their whisky in red wine barrels and in Melbourne, Australia's notoriously wild climate. The constant change in temperature makes the barrels contract and expand at a much faster rate, leading the whisky to take on the delicious flavors from the wood.

Maker Notes

Aged more than 4 years, the 2023 vintage of our High Proof Bourbon showcases a warm and rich nose of molasses, roasted peanuts, and caramel which leads to a dense palate of baked apricot, vanilla, and burnt sugar.
Pinhook’s High Proof Bourbon is a limited annual release comprising a small selection of our finest barrels, blended for whiskey enthusiasts and connoisseurs. It’s bottled close to or at cask strength, at a proof chosen to maximize complex flavors and integrate them with the alcohol for a long and balanced finish.

Our 2023 Bourbon is paired with Bourbon Resolve, by Hard Spun out of the mare All Mettle, by Touch Gold.

In partnership with Six Columns Stable, Bourbon Resolve was purchased by Bourbon Lane Stable for $200,000. He is a well-balanced colt who really came on as a two-year-old. He stands a good bit off the ground at 16.2 hands, setting him up for a big three-year-old campaign.

For the series’ second release, Pinhook has partnered with Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and 2014 James Beard Award winner, to produce an artfully structured high-proof, high-rye bourbon. This special collaboration will fund 20 scholarships in brewing and distilling to people of color through the Michael J. Jackson Foundation, of which Oliver is chair. Blended and proofed from 20 pinhooked barrels out of Still Austin. Aged for 4 years in the Texas heat, which speeds aging and results in a whiskey with a maturity that far exceeds its time in the barrel. In Pinhook’s Collaboration Series, we partner with luminaries working in other sensory-rich fields to produce vintages that epitomize the curiosity-based approach Pinhook was founded on: sourcing great barrels of whiskey and meticulously crafting the blend and proof to bring out their finest characteristics. By exploring the possibilities of whiskey from varied perspectives, the Series’ collaborators invariably hit on something new and exciting.

2022 Collaboration Series No 2. — Garrett Oliver

CORN: 75 | RYE: 20 | MALTED BARLEY: 5 | PROOF: 118.9

Maker Notes

The 2022 vintage of Pinhook Rye showcases bright aromas of pear, clove, walnut, and honeycomb. These transition to a vibrant palate of baked apple, black pepper, and toffee.

Each year, Pinhook releases a new vintage of bourbons and ryes. Every expression is the best representation of our barrels at that moment in time, and dedicated to a promising young thoroughbred. Through a combination of careful barrel selection, blending in small batches, and meticulous proofing, each Pinhook vintage has a personality as unique as the horse on the label. The 2022 flagship rye was crafted using Pinhook's proprietary mashbill. Developed, distilled and aged over 2 years at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY, our latest rye was blended and proofed by Sean Josephs, our Master Blender.

Pinhook 2023 Bourbon War 8 Year Old Whiskey is a testament to the artistry of bourbon crafting. Aged for eight years, this bourbon has reached its peak of maturity, offering a symphony of flavors and complexity.

On the nose, you'll discover a delightful bouquet of vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak, which promises a rewarding palate. Upon tasting, you'll be greeted with a rich, full-bodied bourbon characterized by notes of sweet corn, dark chocolate, and a touch of spice.

Pinhook's commitment to tradition and quality is evident in every sip of this carefully aged whiskey. Whether sipped neat or enjoyed in classic bourbon cocktails, the 2023 Bourbon War 8 Year Old is a true connoisseur's delight, inviting you to savor the rich heritage and craftsmanship of American bourbon.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. Pinhooking refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey - are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. Limited to a blend of only 65 barrels, this Rye Humor Cask Strength release is the first edition of barrel proof straight rye whiskey from Pinhook. Blended by Sean Josephs at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY the average age of the barrels is around 4 years old. You can expect deep and dense aromas of dark chocolate, candied black licorice, and vanilla extract, followed by robust flavors of raisins, tobacco, cinnamon stick, and sarsaparilla.

Aged more than 3 years, the 2023 vintage of Pinhook Bourbon showcases a warm nose of butterscotch, dried apricot, and graham cracker. These transition to a palate of coffee, roasted peanuts, candied cinnamon, and crème brûlée. Each year, Pinhook releases a new vintage of bourbons and ryes. Every expression is the best representation of our barrels at that moment in time, and is dedicated to a promising young thoroughbred. Through a combination of careful barrel selection, blending in small batches, and meticulous proofing, each Pinhook vintage has a personality as unique as the horse on the label.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. This first Cask Strength Pinhook release was bottled at 115.3 proof and has a deep and bright nose of Creme Brle, orange zest, and toasted coconut, which sets the stage for a rich and harmonious palate of pralines, brioche, cocoa, and candied cinnamon. Pinhook Bourbon Country Cask Strength won Gold at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small-batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every year over the next 9 years, Pinhook will select 150 bourbon barrels and 50 rye barrels to be blended and proofed creating the most balanced expression for the vintage. The collectible journey begins with their inaugural 4 Year old bourbon followed by the Vertical Series in annual releases from age 4 to age 12. The Rye Vertical Series will begin in the spring of 2020. Proofed at 98, this straight bourbon whiskey has a bright nose of tropical fruit, butterscotch and cedar followed by a rich and vibrant palate of dried fig, cocoa, roasted peanut and clove.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. "Pinhooking" refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. This year brings Pinhook Rye'd On Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, dedicated to a young thoroughbred of the same name that can be seen on the label. Crafted from a mash bill of 60% rye, 20% barley, and 20% corn, this flagship rye has been aged for at least 2 years at their Castle & Key Distillery. This special release is the first incarnation of their proprietary mash bill since restoring the Old Taylor Distillery, their very first 100% in-house spirit. You can expect fruity aromas of peaches, spearmint, and cinnamon, followed by a taste of cherries, toffee, and cloves.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. "Pinhooking" refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. Pinhook Bohemian Bourbon was distilled, aged, and bottled at the historic Old Taylor Distillery (now known as Castle & Key), the first bourbon in 50 years to do so. Crafted from a mash bill of 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley, it's a high-proof expression that has been aged for a minimum of 34 months. This expression is limited to 100 barrels and was proofed and blended by Pinhook co-founder Sean Josephs.

Each year, Pinhook releases a new vintage of bourbons and ryes. Every expression is the best representation of our barrels at that moment in time, and dedicated to a promising young thoroughbred. Through a combination of careful barrel selection, blending in small batches, and meticulous proofing, each Pinhook vintage has a personality as unique as the horse on the label.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small-batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal, and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. "Pinhooking" refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. The 2020 rye expression is Pinhook Tiz Rye Time 4YO Vertical Series, a straight rye whiskey that is crafted from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. Bottled at 97 proof, it's the first of a new annual-release series. "It will be exciting to follow the maturation of both rye and bourbon over the course of 9 years and understand how each style of whiskey progresses individually as well as in comparison to the other," says Master Blender Sean Josephs. "The 4 Year old rye at 97 proof is already showing great complexity, depth and structure and I am fascinated to go on this whiskey journey which will culminate with a 12 year old rye in 2028."

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook releases a new bourbon and rye, each of which is connected to a promising young thoroughbred horse. The whiskey in each release is the best expression of our barrels at that moment in time, and we blend and proof each release to be as unique as the horse on the label. The result is an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye that become instant collectibles. The Rye Humor release is the second edition of straight rye whiskeys produced by Pinhook. The traditional mashbill has over 3 years of barrel age and was blended and cut to 97 proof by Sean Josephs at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY. This straight rye whiskey has a perfumed nose of elderflower, aromatic wood, and preserved lemon which leads to a palate of dried papaya and caramel. Toasted vanilla, candied black licorice and honey linger, balancing an elegant yet powerful rye.

Lovingly handcrafted and aged in Kentucky, Pinhook Bourbon was established in 2014 and has produced several small-batch bottlings in their newly restored Castle & Key distillery in Frankfort, KY, to much critical acclaim. What makes their line unique is the brand's three distinctive characteristics: its limited availability, mass appeal, and strong ties to Kentucky's legacy of horse racing. Each release of Pinhook Bourbon is named after a thoroughbred owned by Bourbon Lane Stable. The label also features the horses racing records on their brand's website. Every fall Pinhook features an annual vintage of Pinhook Bourbon and Pinhook Rye, each of which is inspired by a thoroughbred horse. Each blend is as unique as the horse on the label. "Pinhooking" refers to an old Kentucky term for purchasing young thoroughbreds, holding them until they mature, and selling them when they are ready to run. Successful pinhooks much like whiskey are made on instinct, experience, an appreciation of quality, and a little luck. Pinhook bourbons and ryes are handcrafted to reflect the richness of the Kentucky soil and the character of its beautiful horse country. The Bourbon Vertical Series is an annual-release series that follows 1,350 MGP bourbons through their aging process up until 12 years of age. "It will be exciting to follow the maturation of both rye and bourbon over the course of 9 years and understand how each style of whiskey progresses individually as well as in comparison to the other," says Master Blender Sean Josephs. The War 5YO Vertical Series is crafted from a mash bill of 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley. The Bourbon War Vertical Series 5 Year Old is a straight bourbon that's bottled at 104 proof, its additional year of maturation brings more dark fruit and caramel notes, as well as hints of smoke. The second in the series, it's a blend of 150 barrels that were aged at Castle & Key. It's named after a thoroughbred colt.

This straight rye whiskey’s deep and dense aromas of dark chocolate, candied black licorice, and vanilla extract set the stage for robust flavors of raisins, tobacco, cinnamon stick, and sarsaparilla.

Discover Pinhook Rye: A Barrel of Humor and True Rye Delight! Uncover the Finest Single Barrel Rye Whiskey at RoyalBatch.com. Cheers to 100% Satisfaction!

Every year, Pinhook releases a new bourbon and rye, each of which is connected to a promising young thoroughbred horse. The whiskey in each release is the best expression of our barrels at that moment in time, and we blend and proof each release to be as unique as the horse on the label Bourbon Country is the latest edition of straight bourbon whiskey produced by Pinhook. The traditional mashbill has over three years of barrel age and was blended and proofed by Sean Josephs at Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY.

Each year, Pinhook releases a new vintage of bourbons and ryes. Every expression is the best representation of our barrels at that moment in time, and dedicated to a promising young thoroughbred. Through a combination of careful barrel selection, blending in small batches, and meticulous proofing, each Pinhook vintage has a personality as unique as the horse on the label.

Aged more than 3 years, the 2023 vintage of our Flagship Bourbon showcases a warm nose of butterscotch, dried apricot, and graham cracker. These transition to a palate of coffee, roasted peanuts, candied cinnamon, and crème brûlée.

As a part of Pinhook's flagship series, this whiskey represents a commitment to tradition and quality. Whether enjoyed neat or in classic bourbon cocktails, Resolve 2023 Whiskey offers a taste of American bourbon excellence, inviting you to savor its rich history and the skillful hands behind its creation.