Straight Edge Bourbon Whiskey

Dave Phinney, founder of Orin Swift Cellars in Napa Valley, California, has already achieved more success in the wine and spirits industry than most will ever dream of. After “studying” for a semester in Florence, Italy, he decided to go into winemaking upon graduation, growing his business from a mere two tons of Zinfandel in the late 1990s into a multinational company with 300 acres in the South of France. Dave is perhaps best known for starting the wildly popular label, “The Prisoner.”

While Dave is a true pioneer when it comes to wine, the idea of making spirits has always lingered with him. After listening to his taxicab driver share stories about his upbringing in the Caribbean, distilling bathtub rum with his father, Dave was convinced he’d give distilling a try. “The passion he had was infectious,” says Dave. Dave debuted his spirits in 2015, under the Splinter Group Spirits moniker, and he is undeniably on a quest to make something truly unique.

The inaugural release from Splinter Group Spirits, Straight Edge Bourbon Whiskey is a blend of five-, seven- and eight-year-old bourbons from Kentucky and Tennessee (the mash bill is approximately 70% corn, with the balance made up of of rye and wheat). Once blended, Dave finishes the bourbon in ex-Mercury Head barrels, the high-end Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon produced by Orin Swift Cellars. Finally, Straight Edge Bourbon Whiskey is brought to its bottle-strength (84 proof) using water from Dave’s ranch - nestled 2000 feet above sea level in the Alexander Valley hills, the ranch is home to three aquifers which pump out pristine, crystal clear, idyllic water.

As a result of its unique blending, finishing and proofing, Straight Edge Bourbon Whiskey has an intriguing aroma with brown sugar, maple, caramelized oak, exotic spices, orange peel and campfire. The palate is velvety smooth, rich and packed with flavors of brown spice, honey and intense caramel. The complexity is apparent and the finish is persistent, long lasting and focused.

Originally released in 2014 with a mere 1,800 cases, Straight Edge Bourbon is back and available for a limited time on Caskers. Pickup a bottle today!