WhistlePig recently teamed up with Alfa Romeo F1 on a whiskey release that’s burning up the track.
A statement from WhistlePig explained that the limited-edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high rye whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers.
And amazingly, the barrels they picked were “trialed” in their wind tunnel for that extra special touch.
This is actually the third version of WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, and the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel clocks in at 96.77 proof, which is a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77.
And this whiskey was inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, as the rye is finished with lychee and oolong tea.
The distiller noted that herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s PiggyBack 100% rye. It’s rounded out with a tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Just like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s C43 racing vehicles, the whiskey’s trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood.
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“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom rye whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake driver, said, “Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a single barrel rye whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor. Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is available for purchase online at shop.whistlepigwhiskey.com for $49.99 per 750ml bottle, and it’s sold in select stores across the U.S. There’s a QR code on the back of each bottle where you can win VIP merchandise.
Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig’s head blender, said, “Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm.”
For more information, check out www.whistlepigwhiskey.com.