Chattanooga Whiskey has launched Moldovan Ice Wine Cask Finished, the eighth release in its Barrel Finishing Series. The expression arrives at the brand’s Experimental Distillery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Thursday 13 August.
For this latest finish, the distillery selected ice wine, described as “one of the rarest sweet wines in the world.” The finishing barrels were sourced from one of Moldova’s oldest and most awarded wineries, set in the hills above the Black Sea.
Chattanooga Whiskey drew from its library of dozens of mash bills to match the character of the ice wine barrels.
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“Ice wine grapes are left on the vine until they freeze solid, and are then handpicked and pressed while still frozen, yielding just a few precious drops of intensely flavored juice from each cluster,” said Grant McCracken, founding distiller. “Because of its intense flavor profile, we needed to pull out our most intensely flavored whiskeys – namely malt whiskey.”
To carry the character of the casks, the team assembled a blend of six mash bills: five malt whiskeys and one bourbon. The recipes draw from a range of toasted specialty malts, including a malted barley grown on Italy’s coast near Venice and two types of malted wheat.
“Since launching our Finishing Series in 2021, our distilling team’s aim has been simple: elevate both the whiskey and the finishing cask,” McCracken said. “Instead of sourcing finishing barrels broadly, we select barrels from specific regions – to showcase their unique terroir.”
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READ THE STORYAged for more than four years, including over a year in the finishing casks, the whiskey was bottled at 95 proof. Official tasting notes from the brand cite French toast, wildflower honey, toasted oak, cream soda, and candied ginger.
The release will be available at the Experimental Distillery on 13 August, priced at $59.99 for a 750ml bottle. It will also reach shelves in select US states, including Florida, Georgia, New York, and Texas, with limited quantities offered online via Seelbachs.com.
Founded in 2011, Chattanooga Whiskey was recently named Craft Producer of the Year for 2026 by Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky. The Experimental Distillery welcomes more than 50,000 visitors annually.
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