Skip to main content

Juggernaut is the newest whiskey in WhistlePig’s Boss Hog series

The newest WhistlePig Boss Hog whiskey was finished in very unique barrels

By Christopher Osburn Published October 15, 2024

WhistlePig

It’s that time of year again. And no, we aren’t discussing the beginning of “spooky season.” No, we’re talking about the annual release of WhistlePig’s popular Boss Hog series. It’s called Boss Hog XI: the Juggernaut and the Vermont-based brand’s “oldest and boldest” straight rye whiskey to date.

Boss Hog XI: the Juggernaut

WhistlePig

Not only is this the oldest rye whiskey ever released by WhistlePig, but it might also be the most unique. First, the whiskey is matured in new American oak barrels, which is when things get really creative.

Recommended Videos

If you’ve ever had Thandai, you know it as a spiced drink imbibed during the Holi festival in Jaipur, India. Not only did the folks at WhistlePig set out to make a whiskey that embodied the aromas and flavors of this drink, but they actually found the right spices at Delhi’s Khari Baoli spice market, made Thandai whiskey barrels, and then used them to finish this complex whiskey. It’s then bottled at barrel proof (103.8 – 105.2 Proof) so as not to dilute it.

The result is sublime sipping rye whiskey with Indian spices, cardamom, cracked black pepper, allspice, clove, orchard fruit, saffron, fennel, ripe tropical fruits, and gentle baking spices.

“Every year we challenge ourselves to craft a Rye that is more stupendous, inspired, and intricate than each edition of The Boss Hog before it,” Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig, said in a press release. “After expanding our original five promises for The Boss Hog to ten tenants last year, we set out on our biggest challenge. When we discovered Thandai in India, we knew we had to find a way to translate its spice profile to a showstopping whiskey barrel for this precious Rye.”

Where can I buy it?

Pouring a glass of whiskey — wiratgasem / Getty Images

This exclusive, limited-edition expression is available on WhistlePig’s web shop, restaurants, liquor stores, and retailers throughout the US for a suggested retail price of $599.99

Christopher Osburn

Writer

Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional

Topics

Liquor, Beer, Wine & Drinks

Food & Drink

The smoothest bourbons for fans new to the whiskey style

Let's take a deep dive into "smooth" bourbons

Buffalo Trace

In some whiskey circles, the word “smooth” is considered to be a bad term to describe bourbon. That’s because it’s thought to be a little too vague and doesn’t really describe the spirit at all. Obviously, its simplicity doesn’t do the whiskey style justice.

But if you ask me, there’s no better, simpler way to describe America’s “native spirit” if you’re a beginner. There are a variety of reasons why bourbon is referred to as “smooth,” and I’m not here to shame drinkers if they want to use the phrase. Especially novice drinkers who are just learning the terminology. That said, if you’re new to whiskey, there are countless smooth, gateway bourbons perfectly crafted to get you started on your corn-based journey.

Food & Drink

These new Maker’s Mark city bottles are worth a layover

Maker's Mark's new limited-edition bottles celebrate eleven cities around the world — but they're sold only in airports.

Alcohol, Beverage, Liquor

Pretty much everyone can spot a Maker's Mark bottle across the bar. The squat shape, the red wax bleeding down the neck — you don't need to read the label.

That's why it's actually worth checking out their Artist Series, where the City Edition puts artist Alexandra Pacula's work on eleven bottles for a slew of cities: New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, and Melbourne. Seem cool? There's a catch — it's airports only.

Food & Drink

Nikka brings back a beloved 10-year single malt for the first time in a decade

Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old is the first age-statement release from the distillery since Japanese whisky's aged-stock crunch hit in 2015.

Whisky, bottle, label

Nikka Whisky is one of the most exciting names in Japanese whisky, so when they make a big announcement, it's almost always worth taking an interest. That's especially the case with the release of Miyagikyo Single Malt 10 Years Old, the flagship expression from its Miyagikyo Distillery — the fruit-forward, mountain-set second distillery Nikka built near Sendai, Japan, in 1969.

This release is the first age-statement Miyagikyo since 2015, and it follows the 2022 return of Yoichi Single Malt 10 Years Old, its coastal sibling. Bottled at 45% ABV, the 700ml release has a $174.99 price tag, so it's not exactly an impulse purchase — and with just 1,572 bottles available nationwide, tracking down a pour may be tough in the first place.