[imagesource:blackenedwhiskeys]

This whiskey can help you ride the lightning.

Metallica just released a new cask-strength, high-proof spirit to match their heavy metal music. They created Blackened Whiskey in 2018 with Dave Pickerell, the man who advised and consulted on other successful whiskey brands like WhistlePig and Hillrock Estate.

Blackened is part of Sweet Amber Distilling Co., and since 2019 Rob Dietrich has been the master distiller and blender for the brand. Blackened has also released variations like Rye the Lightning which was subjected to the sounds of Ride the Lightning while it aged (more on this in a bit).

The new Blackened Cask Strength, which previously was a limited release, starts off with the same whiskey as the core expression—a blend of bourbon and rye that has been finished in brandy casks and pummeled with low-hertz sound waves.

This process, trademarked by the brand as Black Noise, is meant to extract more flavor from the barrels by vibrating the liquid within and increasing interaction between wood and whiskey.

If this sounds like a gimmick, well, that’s because it kind of is. That being said, just as temperature and humidity cause the expansion and contraction of a barrel and evaporation of the spirit within to infuse it with flavour and colour, agitating the liquid within likely has at least some effect.

Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo is especially excited about the whiskey, saying “When creating Blackened, we didn’t want to create just another whiskey, our goal was to create something unique and refined that would appeal to even the top-notch whiskey experts.”

This is from a guy who washes his hair with beer and Jägermeister, so you have to assume he knows his amber tipple.

Blackened Cask Strength will now be released in “volumes,” so the first release will differ from future ones in terms of proof and flavour. This sounds much like their albums, which have differed quite a bit over the last few decades.

Whether Blackened Whiskey will be available in South Africa has not been confirmed, but with the band seemingly intent on touring the entire planet with their new album, they might just bring a few bottles over with them when they come to visit. Hopefully.

[source:robbreport]