Whistlepig Rye Whiskey The Boss Hog: The Samurai Scientist

The Whistlepig lineup of whiskey is something to yee-haw about, and now their ultimate iteration bows with influence from Japanese koji fermentation, hence the name. The Samurai Scientist is the very first American Whiskey finished using Japanese Umeshu wood barrels from the Kitaya brewery on Japan’s Kyushu island. The result is a barrel strength 16-year old rye whiskey with hints of umami never experienced before in an American rye. The 120-122 proof whiskey also gets the honor of having Jōkichi Takamine’s likeness on the label, the man who pioneered koji fermentation in the American whiskey industry over a hundred years before.