Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone American Single Malt Whiskey Review

 

There are collaborations, and then there are collaborations!

 

Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats was founded in 1995, making it the first brewpub in all of Delaware and the country’s smallest commercial brewery. Sam and Mariah Calagione wanted to bring good beer, great food, and amazing music to the scene. Seven years later, Sam and Mariah bought a pot still; well, they had one made from an upcycled stainless steel bin they found in a local junkyard.

 

Many distillers name their stills; Sam and Mariah chose to call theirs Frankenstill. With that, they were soon distilling vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey, and Dogfish Head Distilling Co. was born.

 

“Every day is an exploration. A thoughtful search through a crowded world, we search for that thing that makes us pause - that idea that excites us, the inspiration we can’t ignore. The journey can be unpredictable … but that’s what makes it kind of magical.” – Dogfish Head Distilling Co.

 

In 2019, Dogfish Head merged with Boston Beer Co., the entity responsible for Samuel Adams and its world-famous Utopia beers.

 

Yet that’s not the collaboration I’m referring to.

 

Rolling Stone is one of the world’s most famous magazine publications. It was founded in 1967 by Jann Wenner and Ralph J Gleason. Originally, Rolling Stone was known for two things: writing about rock music and publishing the musings of Hunter S. Thompson. Since the 1990s, the magazine has gone well beyond that mission, branching out into movie reviews and actor interviews, other music genres, and deeper political commentary.

 

That brings us to Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone American Single Malt Whiskey, made especially to celebrate the 250^th birthday of the United States of America.

 

If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out where these two brands intersect, go back to the founding of Dogfish Head: food, drink, and music. This collaboration is about rebellion; specifically, the 13 colonies giving King George III the middle finger.

 

Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone is made from a mash of 100% malted barley that has aged for five years in a dozen different casks, some of which previously held storied, highly-coveted Samuel Adams Utopias, Dogfish’s brandies, and whiskeys. After blending, this whiskey was packaged at 45% ABV (90°), and only 900 cases of 750mL bottles are available to venues in Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia. It is not available for online purchase, but will be featured at Rolling Stone’s Stateside Music Festival on July 4^th at the Dogfish Head booth. Its price hasn’t been disclosed yet.

 

How does this American Single Malt taste? Dogfish Head was kind enough to send me a sample of Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and figure out whether it was worth the effort these entities put in.

 

• Whiskey Type: American Single Malt
• Distiller: Dogfish Head Distilling Co
• Age: At least 5 years
• Mashbill: 100% malted barley
• Cooperage: A blend of 12 different types of vintage barrels
• Alcohol Content: 45% ABV (90°)
• Price per 750mL: TBD
• Availability: DE, NY, NJ, MD, DC & MA

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to investigate this whiskey neat. I observed its brassy color while the liquid formed a thicker rim, which shed thick, fast, crazed tears.

 

Nose: After waiting for about 15 minutes for the whiskey to oxidize, I brought the glass beneath my nostrils and began exploring the aroma. I smelled toffee, caramel, milk chocolate, red licorice, blueberries, raspberries, fresh leather, and Nutella. As I drew air into my mouth, I experienced a fairly strong taste of orange zest.

 

Palate: With my first sip, I encountered a creamy, dense texture and a blast of tangerine. My second attempt revealed notes of milk chocolate, caramel, and toffee on the front of my palate, followed by hazelnuts, leather, and red licorice ropes in the mid-palate. Tangerine peel, oak tannins, and white pepper were on the back.  

 

Finish: Tangerine peel, white pepper, oak, hazelnuts, red licorice, and milk chocolate parked on my tongue and in my throat. It was relatively even in nature and lasted 1:09, making it a longer yet still medium-duration.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Probably much to Dogfish Head’s dismay, I don’t drink beer. However, I’ve been in this business long enough to recognize how beer mash or barrels can influence whiskeys. Tangerine reminds me of what I’d expect from something aged in an IPA cask.

 

Drinking Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone was a constantly evolving adventure. When I thought I had nailed down a note, it went AWOL on the next sip, only to return at a subsequent one. It commanded my attention; it is not a whiskey that I’d opt to drink if I were in deep thought, as it was such a cognitive challenge! In some ways, I felt like a whiskey newbie. Very, very, very few whiskeys accomplish that.

 

90° seemed like a great place for Dogfish Head to call it quits; it is properly proofed, allowing this American Single Malt a ton of character and personality while retaining balance and rhythm.

 

Since I have no idea what Dogfish Head x Rolling Stone costs, my rating doesn’t include a value statement. It is a stunningly great, fascinating, premium pour. KUDOS to Dogfish Head for making this happen. My Bottle rating is well-earned.

 

On a side note, today was my first foray into Dogfish Head. I’m definitely interested in trying its other whiskey expressions. 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.