If
your social media feed is anything like mine, you’re seeing a ton of ads for
something called Hogsworth. It looks like whiskey, but is it?
“I created WhistlePig Whiskey, sold it, and severed all ties. But I remained fond of pigs. My work felt incomplete —and American whiskey needs a shakeup. So I present Hogsworth. It is the finest bottle you’ll find — at even ten times the price. Taste and see.
Hogsworth marries America’s best bourbons with exquisite Armagnacs from France — some over forty years old. Older, richer, more complex. This is what it means to get your Hogsworth. Now go get yours! OINK OINK.” – Raj Peter Bhakta, Founder
Okay…
when a brand issues a challenge, I take them up on it. For the record, I’ve had
several whiskeys from BHATKA
Spirits, which Raj also owns, and they’ve been
first-class sipping adventures. None, however, are priced anywhere near Hogsworth’s
$50.00.
Hogsworth
is a blend of 52% Bourbon and 48% Armagnac. Here’s what’s in Batch 1, Blend 9:
- 42% 2019 Tennessee Bourbon (4 years)
- 10% 2019 Minnesota Bourbon (4 years 5 months)
- 22% 2012 Armagnac (11 years)
- 21% 2011 Armagnac (12 years)
- 5% 1982 Armagnac (41 years)
Hogsworth
is packaged in a 750ml bottle at 46.9% ABV (93.8°). I reviewed BHAKTA
1928, an American Rye, Armagnac, and Calvados blend. I found it very
enjoyable.
Is
Hogworth worth a bottle ten times the suggested price? Thankfully, we’ll have
the opportunity to #DrinkCurious because Hogsworth provided me a sample in
exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.
Appearance: I
poured Hogsworth into a Glencairn glass to sip neat. This spirit had a rusty
color; it could barely form a rim as it disintegrated into a thick curtain of
tears.
Nose: The bouquet
it produced while airing out on my bar was big and bold. The Armagnac aspect dominated
the Bourbon with honey, ginger, and floral notes. Clamoring for attention were vanilla,
brown sugar, and massive amounts of caramel. When I drew the aroma into my
mouth, I found more honey.
Palate: Hogsworth’s
texture was cloud-like and silky. Cocoa powder, nutmeg, and herbal tea were on
the front. My mid-palate discovered old leather, orange peel, and ginger spice.
The back offered freshly cracked black pepper, dry oak, and vanilla.
Finish: I timed
the duration at 2:26, making it very long. There were no waves; it was pretty
level. A plethora of vanilla, orange peel, leather, cocoa, and black pepper remained
in my mouth and throat. The leather slightly outlasted the black pepper.
Bottle, Bar, or Bust: If you’ve spent time reading my reviews,
you’ll know I talk about how crucial palate shock is. If you’re unfamiliar with
the term, it means that when you take your first sip or taste of anything unfamiliar,
your palate has no idea what to expect, and everything rushes out of you like the
Running Of The Bulls in Spain. Your palate gets confused and concentrates,
usually, on the negatives. That’s palate shock; you never want to judge how
good or bad something is on that first sip. The next sip, your palate is
prepared for what’s coming, allowing you to concentrate on the separate
flavors.
The first sip was as if I
took the driest cocoa and hottest pepper and stuffed it in my mouth simultaneously.
Like I said, don’t judge by that. The second sip proved to be far more aesthetically
pleasing.
I still have the BHAKTA
1928 on hand, and I was curious how the two compare. Granted, it had American
Rye, not Bourbon, plus the additional Calvados component. It was, across the
board, a far superior spirit, yet it cost $19.00 more.
Hogsworth is unlike anything else you’ll taste. It is… for lack of a better
word… unique. I’m not in love with it. I don’t hate it, but of everything
that Raj has released since detaching himself from WhistlePig, this is my least
favorite. You’ll want to try this one at a Bar first. Cheers!
My Simple, Easy-to-Understand
Rating System
- Bottle = Buy It
- Bar = Try It
- Bust = Leave It
Whiskeyfellow encourages
you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.
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