New Liberty Distillery, a Philadelphia craft distillery, recently unveiled a new bourbon that’s been aged for three years and distilled using heritage grains including bright-red Pennsylvania corn varietals, malted rye, and malted barley.
The new New Liberty Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Straight Bourbon Whiskey, according to those behind it, “utilized the traditional sour mash technique with a unique twist, creating a riff on the dunder pit fermentation process used in many excellent Jamaican rums. Spent mash from a previous batch of staple Bloody Butcher Bourbon is allowed to sour in open barrels, then, a sour dough starter from local breadbasket High Street Philly is added, and left to ferment and produce wild esters.”
“After fully fermenting, the liquid is double pot distilled and rested in a 53-gallon new American charred oak barrel.”
“We had always planned to create different riffs on our staple Bloody Butcher Bourbon, it was just a matter of when,” said Robert Cassell, Owner and Master Distiller of New Liberty Distillery and CEO of Millstone Spirits, in a prepared statement. “I’m thrilled to put out the Sour Mash version especially because of all the local tie ins: the sourdough starter from High Street Philly, the rye and barley from Deer Creek Malthouse, and the Bloody Butcher corn itself from Castle Valley Mill.”
Ringing in at 47.5% (95 proof), Bloody Butcher Sour Mash Bourbon is now available in a 200ml size for around $25 across the state of Pennsylvania. Created from a base of 70% Bloody Butcher corn, 27% malted rye, and 3% malted barley, the spirit’s official tasting notes mention it “pulls aromas that are reminiscent of leather tobacco pouches, pound cake, and dried leaves.
“Its palate notes are hearty, with starting hints of spice that round off into a warm autumn reminder of an apple cinnamon donut, dusted with nutmeg and crystalized sugar.”