Diageo announced the official start of the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company to offer a new line of rare spirits to a growing base of whiskey aficionados. According to press release, the goal of The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company is to locate lost and forgotten barrels of whiskey from around the world and share them with discerning adult fans. The plan is that the first two variants to be released will include the 20-year-old Barterhouse Whiskey and the 26-year- aged Old Blowhard Whiskey.
The first 20-year-old stocks were discovered in old warehouses at the Stitzel-Weller facility in Louisville, Ky. Barterhouse Whiskey is bottled in Tullahoma, Tenn and will be expected to sell for a suggested retail price of $75. The older whiskey was also found at Stitzel-Weller and is hand bottled in Tullahoma and will retail for $150.
“The whiskey warehouses and rickhouses these spirits come from are special places filled with the incredible smells of seasoned oak, rough textures of weathered wood and amazing tastes of precious liquid,” said Ewan Morgan, master of whiskey for Diageo, in a statement. “It’s every worker’s dream of finding that forgotten barrel of delicious whiskey and sharing it with their friends. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Orphan Barrel whiskeys also have distinctive packaging to go along with their unique tastes, the company says.
Both whiskies are expected to begin appearing on select shelves throughout the United States in March 2014 under strict allocation due to limited supply.
