Mystic Oak

Barrels #23 & #30

Original Artwork by Melissa Parra Morrow
Distilled by MGP – Lawrenceburg, IN
Selected by Joshua Thinnes
Serial Code 08SB23

Mystic Oak is a pair of single barrel straight rye whiskies, Barrel #23 & Barrel #30, each aged for 7 years. They were distilled at MGP in Indiana from a mash bill of 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley. Each barrel was gravity fed and bottled by hand with no filtration to preserve its original character and texture. There is no additional barrel finishing. Both barrels were bottled at cask strength and then rested in glass for six weeks before being released.

The barrels spent the first 4 years of their life aging in Indiana, before being brought to the Bay Area for another two and half years. We acquired them in August of 2022 from a distillery that was going out of business. They were brought to our production facility at Charbay Distillery in September, before bottling them on March 21st and 22nd, 2023.

I tasted through 20 barrels blind 7 times before settling on my two favorites. These two placed in my top 3 each time I tried them and in the end, I couldn’t pick a favorite because I liked each one for its very different flavor profile.

TASTING NOTES

Barrel #23 (Black Wax) | 59% abv / 118 proof | 186 total bottles
Deep and rich sweet-smelling oak with lots of caramel, milk chocolate, Medjool dates, and vanilla leading into bourbon-like aromas of cooked corn mash and slight hints at tobacco. With some air in the glass, the savory tobacco notes are brought to the forefront. The aromas are more bass note in nature, subtle but very present. The flavors are spicy out of the gate gaining complexity with savory flavors hinting at the oxidized apples, burnt sugar, and tobacco leaf. It finishes dry with notes of cedar and cigar box flavors.

Barrel #30 (Aqua Marine Wax) | 57% abv / 114 proof | 180 total bottles
Ethereal and sweet aromas of fresh fruits like apricots and crushed sauvignon blanc grapes, bubble gum, and taffy along with a bouquet of herbs like mint, marjoram, and tarragon. It is supported by baking spice aromas of allspice, mace, and vanilla bean. Undertones of toffee and slightly charred oak complement nicely. Vivacious, lively, and very melodic. On the palate it is crisp and bright, reminding you that this is worth paying attention to. There are loads of spices but not the alcohol heat you’d expect. It follows through to a rich, mouth-coating texture that finishes with a pleasing spice profile that really sustains and leaves you wanting more.

ABOUT THE ART
Mystic Oak by Melissa Parra Morrow is a collage constructed on a reused barrel head from the Water for Life barrel. It is made up of 322 individual collage pieces arranged in between 8 layers of resin, giving it a true sense of depth perception when observing the original. Mystic Oak weighs 25 lbs.

11 Mystic Oak Collector's Editions are available. Each set includes two (2) waxed-dipped bottles (one of each barrel #23 & #30), a signed and numbered archival print, and a corresponding numbered digital certificate of authenticity (NFT).

Read the Story of Mystic Oak and more about the Art & Process.