News Notes: Hinterhaus Expansion, Pappy Sweepstakes, Bhakta's Bourbon-Armagnac & More

Hinterhaus Distilling, the distiller located in the Sierra Nevada mountain town of Arnold, California has been making some well regarded whiskies, and will now have a chance to add signfiicantly to its repertoire with new pot still. Elsewhere, Raj Bhakta has blended vintage bourbons and vintage armagnacs for his latest spirits creation. In another spirits release, Música Tequila has a new, techno-inspired release that's a tribute to techno music.

California’s Hinterhaus Distilling Boosts Production

Hinterhaus Distilling, the California distillery operated by husband-and-wife Nate and Bonnie Randall, is installing a 2,000-liter copper pot still. The new equipment raises the distillery’s production capacity five-fold. The move is meant to bolster Hinterhaus’s own whiskey and brand production, as well as its White Label contract distillation service. Bonnie noted that the extra capacity gives the team enough breathing room to allocate more inventory for longer-term projects.

We recently reviewed a batch of Hinterhaus’s Calaveras bourbon finished in local wine casks, which scored 90 points with our tasting panel. Be sure to check out the full review—and many others—in our Summer issue, which hits newsstands on June 2nd.

Pappy Sweepstakes for a Worthy Cause

Pappy & Company, the bourbon lifestyle merchandise brand founded by Pappy Van Winkle’s great-granddaughters, is offering a signed bottle of Van Winkle Family Reserve 15 year old bourbon in its latest Bourbon for Good sweepstakes. Both Julian Van Winkle III, Pappy’s grandson and president of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, and Preston Van Winkle, Julian’s son and distillery vice president, will sign the bottle. From May 22^nd through May 29^th, a purchase of $75 or more via pappyco.com or at the Pappy & Company retail store in Louisville will receive one entry in the sweepstakes, with a maximum of 10 entries per person. Bourbon for Good is the philanthropic drive of Pappy & Co. and Van Winkle Family Ventures. This sweepstakes will benefit Save A Warrior, a nonprofit veteran mental health organization.

Legends Distillery Files For Bankruptcy

Spirits of the USA LLC, parent company of Georgia-based Legends Distillery, voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy late last week. The filing values the company's assets at $500,000 to $1 million, with liabilities between $1 million and $10 million. No reason was given for its bankruptcy, but the suit detailed substantial debts, including $127,000 in back rent, $95,000 in unpaid credit card bills, and a combined $46,000 in unpaid taxes to both Forsyth County and the federal government, among others.

The company has been around since 2007, but the distillery itself opened its doors in the city of Cummings in 2020. It occupied a 20,000-square-foot production space, with a 5,000-square-foot tasting room and events space. It produced several brands, including house-label vodkas and bourbons, a gin brand called Legends Highway, and Legends Rattlesnake tequila. Legends was known locally for the many events it held at the tasting room.

Bhakta Spirits Releases a Blend for America’s 250th Birthday

Bhakta Spirits–the label launched in 2020 by former Whistlepig owner Raj Bhakta–has unveiled Bhakta 1868 America250 Edition in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday.

Continuing the label’s bent for marrying different spirits styles, this release is a cask-strength blend of 2005 and 2014 vintage bourbons combined with an array of Bhakta’s House of Vintage armagnacs. Each blend contains armagnac vintages spanning from 1868-1924. In total, over 100 vintage spirits are included in the final blend.

Each barrel is named after a historical American figure, and all bottles are designated by barrel number. Touted as a collectible, the expression has an average age of 30 years and carries a $250 price tag. Bottles from the first three barrels (Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton) are available for pre-order here, with wider rollout of the remaining two barrels (Lafayette and Lincoln) available at retailers beginning June 2nd.

Música Tequila Lauches a Music-Inspired Tequila

The music-inspired label Música Tequila has launched its latest tribute to music, a techno-inspired limited edition: the Techno Plata reserva. Made from Lowlands agave from the Los Valles region of Jalisco, it’s bottled at 46% ABV, the label’s first high-proof expression. Only 600 bottles were produced, retailing at $73. This tequila brings music into production, as a specialized audio system vibrates the liquid as it ferments and ages for a brief time in Hungarian oak barrels.

Its release coincides with the Detroit Movement Festival (known as the birthplace of Techno), which takes place this weekend in co-founder Chris Andrew’s home state of Michigan. Chris and his wife Geri founded the label in 2024 with the intention to elevate various music genres through their tequila, often collaborating with artists and partnering with Save the Music Foundation which supports musical education across the country.