WhistlePig Is Releasing Its First Ever Single Malt

While WhistlePig has made a name for itself as a rye producer, capitalizing on the style’s resurgence in recent years, the Vermont distillery has likewise begun to branch out. In September 2022, they introduced PiggyBack 6 year old, the brand’s first-ever bourbon, and now, they’re taking on single malt with The Béhôlden, an advanced-aged whisky released today both nationwide and through WhistlePig’s website.

The Béhôlden is a 21 year old single malt that was distilled in Canada and finished for four weeks in WhistlePig rye barrels. It is a single barrel whisky bottled at 46% ABV. This initial release comes from 18 barrels, with WhistlePig declining to share an exact bottle count, though there will be additional releases in coming years, including even greater age statements.

“With the launch of WhistlePig 21, our goal is to push the limits of single malt just as we have with aged rye whiskey,” Liz Rhoades, head of whiskey development, told Whisky Advocate in a statement. “The category has recently started to break free from tradition with Japanese and American single malts on the forefront. We're proud to join the party in big, bold WhistlePig style.”

At 21 years old, The Béhôlden is significantly older than any American single malt whiskeys currently on the market, while Canadian single malt as a category is still fairly new. In our Summer 2022 issue, we dubbed Canada’s single malts the country’s best-kept secret, with many of the distillers interviewed for that piece touting the diversity and high quality of Canadian-grown barley. Hiram Walker’s Dr. Don Livermore theorized that single malts currently aging in Canada are “years away” from release, so this whisky could provide a glimpse at what’s to come from the country’s leading distillers. Where a whisky ages can have a big impact on its final flavor, with barrels of The Béhôlden primarily resting in Canada, before they were moved to Vermont in 2020.

With an SRP of $800, The Béhôlden slots in above WhistlePig’s annual Boss Hog release. The 9^th and most recent release in the luxury series, Siren’s Song, was announced in October with a suggested retail price of $600.