Chattanooga Whiskey announced the newest release in its Barrel Finishing Series: Moldovan Ice Wine Cask Finished, arriving at its Experimental Distillery this week.  

For their eighth finish in the series, Chattanooga Whiskey selected one of the rarest, sweet wines in the world: ice wine. Sourced from one of Moldova’s oldest and most awarded wineries — set in the hills above the Black Sea – Chattanooga Whiskey drew from their library of dozens of mash bills to specifically match the character of the ice wine barrels. 

“Ice wine grapes are left on the vine until they freeze solid, and are then handpicked and pressed while still frozen, yielding just a few precious drops of intensely flavored juice from each cluster,” Grant McCracken, Founding Distiller, said in a news release. “Because of its intense flavor profile, we needed to pull out our most intensely flavored whiskeys – namely malt whiskey.” 

To carry the character of these finishing barrels, the distilling team assembled a complex blend of six mash bills:  five malt whiskeys and one bourbon. Each of these recipes draw from a range of toasted specialty malts including:  a malted barley grown on Italy’s coast near Venice and two types of malted wheat. 

“Since launching our Finishing Series in 2021, our distilling team’s aim has been simple: elevate both the whiskey and the finishing cask,” McCracken said. “To do that, we get precise. Instead of relying on one mash bill, we use specific mash bills to match  the finishing cask’s character. And instead of sourcing finishing barrels broadly, we select barrels from specific regions – to showcase their unique terroir.” 

Aged for over four years, including more than a year in the finishing casks, the whiskey was bottled at 95 proof. Ice Wine Cask Finished will be available at the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery on Thursday, Aug. 13, and on shelves in select states (D.C., FL, GA, IL, MD, MN, MO, NJ, NY, TN, TX, WI) at $59.99 for a 750ml bottle.  Limited quantities will also be available online for shipping to select states on Seelbachs.com.  

Read more: Chattanooga Whiskey Brings Back Founder’s Anniversary Blend

About Chattanooga Whiskey 

Founded in 2011, Chattanooga Whiskey challenged the laws and won the right to distill whiskey in Chattanooga for the first time in 100 years. As a result, the Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery – the only standalone experimental distillery in the country – was born. The distillery now hosts over 50,000 visitors annually and serves as a hub of innovation and creativity to push the boundaries of craft whiskey. For more information, visit https://chattanoogawhiskey.com/.