For the ninth installment in WhistlePig’s annual Boss Hog series, the whiskey maker has a new muse. Well, technically, it’s an old muse. The oldest, in fact, as WhistlePig’s The Boss Hog IX: Siren’s Song straight rye whiskey draws inspiration from the Muses of ancient Greek mythology.
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The latest Boss Hog is arguably the most impressive and collectible of the series so far, and it marks a number of firsts for the brand. For one, this is the first time that WhistlePig themselves crafted their own cask finishes. The two finishes, inspired by a trip to Greece over the summer by the WhistlePig team, are Greek fig nectar and farm-scratch tentura, a Greek liqueur made from cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, orange peel and honey. Both finishes were made on WhistlePig’s Vermont farm from both Greek and locally-sourced ingredients.
Another trailblazing achievement for this Boss Hog is it’s the first to be conceived and crafted by an all-female team of whiskey makers at WhistlePig. Spearheading the project were Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig’s Head Whiskey Blender, and Liz Rhoades, Head of Whiskey Development.
“You could say the Greek Muses guided us toward the discovery and persistence of creating Siren’s Song,” Rhoades said in a statement. “In visiting Greece this summer to source ingredients and learn from experts at an original tentura distillery, we were drawn to the distinctly unique flavors of Greece and how they would interact with the bold flavor of our aged Rye Whiskey.”
WhistlePigThe unique single-barrel rye is aged in American oak and bottled at proof, ranging from 102.5-106.2. On the nose, you can expect orange blossom with floral notes, dried fruit and brown sugar. The palate brings spices of cinnamon and clove along with black cherry, while the finish brings in a dose of the Greek fig nectar and WhistlePig’s typical rye punch.
