McMenamins Readies Its 2018 Devil’s Bit Whiskeys For St. Patrick’s Day

It is that time honored tradition once again here in Portland, Oregon where The Whiskey Wash is located to go forth and acquire our two bottle allotment of Devil’s Bit whiskey from the McMenamins brewpub chain. As it was last year, two different distilleries owned by this group based in Washington and Oregon are producing the highly sought after spirits.

As different as the two distilleries – Cornelius Pass Roadhouse and Edgefield  – are, so are the associated Devil’s Bit offerings. Here are the details on each as provided to us by McMenamins’ press team:

• Cornelius Pass Roadhouse: This Devils Bit Whiskey is made from a mash that contains barley, wheat, rye, corn and oats. This was aged for six years in our new charred American oak barrels. The result is a whiskey that is well-rounded and complex, while still being approachable and easy to enjoy. Notes of caramel corn, cinnamon, nougat and cocoa appear on the nose.  93 proof.
• Edgefield: This 2018 edition of our Devil’s Bit is a single-barrel whiskey, distilled from a mash of 70 percent rye and 30 percent malted barley. This whiskey was aged for eight years in our new charred American white oak barrel. Unlike other rye whiskies with spice-forward characteristics, this rye features more of the rye bread notes, accomplished by fermenting “on the grain.” The fermented mash was then double distilled in a pot still to accent the grainy, earthy rye qualities. There are also bold, spicy cinnamon and allspice notes. Beneath is a candied oak profile, rich in brown sugar and vanilla. This rye whiskey is in the great American rye category while still forging its own path.

As is the case each year the whiskeys are only available on St. Patrick’s Day, with a maximum purchase of two bottles per person at select McMenamins locations. Price was not immediately mentioned, but if it holds to last year expect to pay around $23-25 per 200 ml bottle.