Dogfish Head is best known for craft beer, but its latest release takes the brand deeper into whiskey. In its announcement, Dogfish Head confirmed it has teamed up with Rolling Stone for a limited-edition American single malt whiskey. It is arguably one of Dogfish Head’s most premium spirits so far.
The release marks Rolling Stone’s first whiskey, which makes the collaboration a little unexpected. Still, it does make some sense when you consider Dogfish Head’s long-running connection to music. Founder Sam Calagione said the brand has “always said we’re a brewery with a music problem.”
The new Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone American Single Malt comes with a five-year age statement and is made from a small batch of 12 barrels. It blends standard whiskey with liquid finished in casks that previously held brandy and Samuel Adams Utopias.
That cask finishing is very on-brand for Dogfish Head. The company launched its first whiskey under the Alternate Takes label in 2019, and that lineup has often focused on barrel finishes using everything from brandy to cider and beer casks.
This new release is bottled at 90 proof and has tasting notes of caramel, allspice and sherry, followed by a smooth finish with subtle citrus peel notes.
Dogfish Head’s move into spirits is not exactly new, either. The brand has experimented with distilling since the early 2000s and expanded its production in 2014 with larger copper stills. Today, its spirits lineup includes gin, rum, vodka and whiskey.
The whiskey will debut at the Stateside Music Festival in Kingston, New York on July 4. After that, it will be sold in Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Massachusetts for now.
Pricing has not been officially confirmed, but it is expected to come in around $100. Only 900 cases, or around 11,000 bottles, have been produced, so this is a limited release.