Sons Of Liberty Gets into Cask Finishing with American Single Malts

Rhode Island, besides being the smallest state in the Union, isn’t exactly on the map as far as distillery density goes. That said, it’s the home of one of the better examples in the American single malt category, Sons of Liberty, which has been hard at work over the last few years churning out some quality expressions. They now look to be getting into cask finishing with their core expressions, which should prove exciting for those able to get a hold of these limited releases.

The first of the two, Battle Cry Oloroso Sherry Finish, is a variant of their Battle Cry American single malt that’s typically distilled from a Belgian style ale incorporating rye and honey malts. It is then aged in newly charred American oak barrels before bottling. The Battle Cry is then re-casked into ex Oloroso sherry barrels for an undisclosed amount of time before being put into 375 ml bottles at 46% ABV.

Now if you are thinking this sounds like a tasty whiskey, you are likely right, at least according to official tasting notes from Sons of Liberty, which indicate “a welcoming aroma with a mix of spice and subtle sweet notes. On the palate a nuttiness with intense dark fruit flavors, complemented by hints of anise and pepper from the mash bill. A remarkable mouthfeel with a long finish.”

Information I’ve been reading from retailers around the distribution area of Sons of Liberty (primarily Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut) suggests this is pricing around $30 and that only 625 bottles were made.

Coming up on the horizon alongside Battle Cry Oloroso Sherry Finish looks to be Uprising Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish. It is distilled from darker malts traditionally used in stout beers before being aged “in newly charred American Oak Barrels and complemented with toasted French Oak.” It should be fascinating to see how the typical sweetness of the ex-PX cask it finishes in plays in this expression. Tasting notes indicate “an invitingly sweet aroma with a faint toasted character. On the palate a balanced mix of dried fruits, roasted coffee notes and mocha with a touch of licorice and vanilla. A wonderful mouthfeel followed by a smooth finish.”

“We distilled these limited editions of Battle Cry and Uprising with the intention of producing something unique and flavorful,” said Sons of Liberty founder, Mike Reppucci, in a statement. “Special barrel finishes are a fun way to bring even more complexity of flavor to an already intriguing spirit.”