Punxsutawney Phil’s big day is this Saturday, and whatever his “decision” is about the fate of winter, there’s one whiskey that seems right to celebrate or lament the results.
Pennsylvania’s Wigle Whiskey is releasing their second iteration Phil’s Shadow Rye: a 92-proof rye whiskey finished in maple syrup barrels.
Wigle is a family-owned craft distillery in Pittsburgh, and from what we can tell they age their whiskey in smaller barrels (likely quarter casks). Phil’s Shadow is aged for 18 months. It’s then aged in separate “maple syrup” barrels for another 16 months before bottling.
Maple syrup and whiskey go together particularly well, and especially in the colder months, when syrup lends a heartier sweetness to cocktails and finished spirits. It’s also a great way to balance out those small-cask whiskeys.
And it helps to start with a great base spirit. Wigle has been at the forefront of the conversation on terroir in craft whiskey for some time now.
Wigle has a cocktail suggestion on their site, but we could see this working in a lot of winter drinks—particularly a Toddy, to keep warm.
That’s good, because winter has us feeling a little like Ned Ryerson.
The $38, 375 ml. bottle of Phil’s Shadow is available here.
