Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
Orphan Barrel has long been a brand for spirits giant Diageo to compete in the space of collectible American whiskeys (mostly bourbon) often dominated by Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace. So-called “nearly forgotten barrels of delicious whiskey” find their way into more pricey offerings, often with age statements pushing the higher end of what bourbon can normally be enjoyed without becoming an oak bomb due to overaging in barrel.
The Orphan Barrel project for Diageo is run out of Tullahoma, Tennessee, which plays host to Cascade Hollow Distilling, also known as the home of George Dickel (another Diageo brand).
What’s in the bottle
The latest Orphan Barrel offering to hit the market, and the subject of this review, is Indigo’s Hour. This one is a bit of a curiosity in that it is an 18-year-old bourbon with three states under its belt during its production lifespan. It was distilled in Indiana (likely MGP), aged in Kentucky (likely at Stitzel Weller), and bottled in Tennessee (Cascade Hollow).
Produced from a mash bill of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malt, it was aged in new charred white oak barrels before being bottled at 45% ABV.
The bottle design, as noted by Diageo, “pays homage to the spirit’s origin story – drawing inspiration from the crops, flora and fauna native to the heartlands of America’s whiskey regions. The spirit animal is the Pipevine Swallowtail, the most colorful butterfly to call Indiana home, where this rare whiskey is distilled. Part of the label was inspired by The Witches Tree, a legendary maple tree found in Louisville, KY just a few minutes away from where Indigo’s Hour was aged. The landscapes depicted in the background were inspired by the creek that sits amongst the rivers and marshlands in Cascade Hollow, Tullahoma, Tennessee, where Indigo’s Hour was bottled.”
“Indigo’s Hour is perfect for those who appreciate the complex flavors and craft behind American-bourbon making,” said Diageo Master Blender Andrew Mackay when it was released. “Its liquid and bottle label symbolizes how the Orphan Barrel collection continues to evolve from its predecessors, making it a true collectible for those who appreciate fine spirits and rare whiskies.”
Indigo’s Hour is priced at $225 per 750 ml bottle and was made in “only one highly-limited batch.” The name was inspired “by the time of day, which we call Indigo’s Hour, between dusk and dark when the sky is at its most beautiful.”
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