WhistlePig is kicking off its PiggyBack Legends Series by honoring MLB legend David Ortiz with a “Big Papi Barrel” bottle seasoned with actual baseball bats.
Given the rye whiskey wizards’ propensity for inventive finishes involving experimental techniques like a “Rolling Rickhouse” semi-truck, the idea behind their latest bottle is relatively straightforward.
The 96.56-proof/48-percent ABV brown was first aged for six years in American Oak before finishing in barrels containing DO34 maple wood bats—the signature slugger of the three-time World Series champion and recent Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.
“If you ask anyone at the distillery, they’ll tell you my signature quote is ‘I’ll put anything in a barrel once,’ Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Blender, said in a statement announcing the new bottle. “This experiment was particularly fun in that it brings together two of my favorite things – breaking new ground for rye whiskey and sports.”
“It was incredible to collaborate with David Ortiz, whose toasted maple bats add layers of spice and caramelized notes to the bold, 100% rye character of WhistlePig PiggyBack,” she said.
See the official tasting notes below:
Nose: Fresh cinnamon, notes of caramel sweetness
Palate: Powerfully spicy with a nice balance of dark chocolate and maple syrup
Finish: Lengthy, full of vanilla and caramel notes from the toasted bats
Big Papi Barrel is the first of three limited-edition PiggyBack Legends Series bottles conceived in collaboration with Barstool Sports, each 100-percent rye expression celebrating athletic greats—the other two drop later this year.
Priced at $49.99, WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series: Big Papi Barrel is available for preorder here beginning March 31.
For $340 (in honor of jersey No. 34), Ortiz will sign a bottle and pass along proceeds to the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, which provides critical pediatric healthcare to children in New England and the Dominican Republic.
