Of all the annual whiskey releases — and there are many — few draw as much collective excitement among whiskey fans as WhistlePig’s Boss Hog. Now in its 11th year, the latest iteration is dubbed Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut and features one of the rarest aging techniques we’ve ever seen.
The Juggernaut found inspiration in Thandai, an aromatic Indian drink made with nuts and spices. After encountering Thandai during the Holi festival in Jaipur, members of the WhistlePig team sourced the requisite ingredients needed to create the world’s first Thandai whiskey barrels. Those barrels were seasoned with aged rye that was merged with saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, fennel, poppy and black peppercorn. First, Boss Hog XI underwent extensive aging in new American oak barrels before moving to the Thandai barrels for additional aging.
Rarity is nothing new for WhistlePig. Boss Hog X invoked frankincense, myrrh, and mead in its cask finishing protocols, while Boss Hog IX was finished in Greek fig nectar casks and tentura casks. The whole concept is built on the premise of being bold and different. There are even rules governing each year’s release: It must be single barrel, bottled at proof, powerfully complex, unique from anything they’ve done before, and “stupendous.”
Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut hits those marks. The Thandai spice profile translates to the liquid, which sports notes of cardamom, clove, allspice, and black pepper. All that spice is balanced by orchard fruits, tropical fruits, fennel, and a touch of sweet oak. The finish is long and spicy, with undercurrents of juicy fruits.
“Every year we challenge ourselves to craft a rye that is more stupendous, inspired, and intricate than each edition of The Boss Hog before it,” said Meghan Ireland, Head Blender at WhistlePig. She called this year’s version the brand’s biggest challenge yet, but when the team discovered Thandai in India, they knew they had to find a way to showcase that spice profile in rye whiskey.
WhistlePig The Boss Hog XI: The Juggernaut is available now in select liquor stores and bars, and it’s also online. It’s packaged in a 750 mL bottle and features a handmade pewter pig topper in the style of an Indian elephant, so that’s a fun touch. The rye whiskey is bottled between 103.8 – 105.2 proof (our bottle comes from barrel one and is 103.8 proof) and has a suggested retail price of $599.99. If you want a bottle, act fast — The Boss Hog series is popular among whiskey nerds and collectors.
