Black Button Collaboration Whiskey a Bourbon, Malt Whiskey Tie-Up

Can two different whiskies from different craft distilleries come together to make one better whiskey? Perhaps, though it is generally uncommon as it takes very careful blending to make sure the merged spirits don’t produce something that tastes awful. Keeping this in mind, two New York whiskey makers recently unveiled a special bottling that brings together a young bourbon with a softer malt whiskey.

The new Black Button Collaboration Whiskey, according to those behind it, is the creation of Black Button Distilling, which we’ve written about before, and O’Begley Distillery, an outfit making so-called “Irish style” pot still whiskey that’s been distilled on equipment hand-built from old pharmaceutical reactors modified and re-purposed specifically for whisky production.

Described as a one-of-a-kind spirit, Collaboration Whiskey

[I]s made from hand-selected bottles of the finest whiskeys from Black Button Distilling and The O’Begley Distillery. Chosen by their respective head distillers, the whiskeys were blended together, remarried in wooden casks and set to age together until the ideal marriage of flavors was reached.

This limited edition whiskey is soft and subtle with notes of oak and malt, honey and brown sugar. The bourbon barrels chosen for this blend had a nutty character to them and when blended with the softer malt whiskey, balanced nicely for a rich full flavor that represents both base spirits well but is uniquely its own. 

“Black Button and O’Begley have grown up alongside each other in Rochester,” said Jason Barrett, Black Button Distilling Owner/Head Distiller, in a statement. “What I love most about craft distilling is that we come together as a community to help each other. To put our collective skills together for this unique blend of whiskey has been a great learning experience and an opportunity to bring a unique bottling to the Rochester community.”

“Prior to prohibition, Western New York had a long history of distilling, which has largely disappeared for the past 80 years,”added Adam Begley of O’Begley Distillery. “By working together, we are slowly restoring those traditions of local agriculture and quality craftsmanship that are the foundation of our community.”

Only 642 bottles of Collaboration have been released, and there are a few places online carrying them for close to $50 each.