This holiday season, WhistlePig Whiskey is launching WhistlePig 12 Year Rye Single Finish Maple Crème Brûlée, a limited-edition Rye made for seasonal sipping and entertaining.

WhistlePig created the new expression using barrels that once held WhistlePig barrel-aged maple syrup. The team re-charred each barrel to caramelize the maple sugars into the oak, then rebuilt the barrels before using them to finish its 12 Year Rye for about one month. 

As the Rye rested, it drew notes of maple, caramel and spice directly from the oak, creating the rich, caramelized character of crème brûlée. The result delivers all the flavor, with nothing added to the whiskey.

“The magic here is that crème brûlée describes the flavor, not any ingredients added to the whiskey,” Meghan Ireland, Chief Blender at WhistlePig Whiskey, said in a news release. “We wanted to take something distinctly Vermont and see how far we could push it through the barrel alone. Reworking the maple syrup barrels gave us this rich, caramelized character while still letting the Rye lead, which is exactly what we were after. It’s unmistakably WhistlePig Rye, just with a little seasonal flair for the holidays.”

WhistlePig’s 12 Year Rye has plenty to celebrate this season, too. Old World Rye Aged 12 Years recently earned Double Gold at the 2026 Global Whisky Challenge, following runner-up recognition for World’s Best Rye at the 2025 Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards.

With its rich flavor profile and limited-edition release, 12 Year Rye Single Finish Maple Crème Brûlée brings a distinctly WhistlePig twist to the holiday season. Whiskey fans can pour it neat, serve it over one large ice cube or mix it into a WhistlePig Maple Crème Brûlée Old Fashioned, making it equally at home after dinner, around the holiday table or wrapped up for the Rye lover on your list.

WhistlePig 12 Year Rye Single Finish Maple Crème Brûlée will be available for a limited time beginning November 5, 2026, retailing for $124.99 on WhistlePig’s website and at select bars, restaurants and retailers.

Read more: WhistlePig Whiskey Joins Kentucky Distillers’ Association

‍About WhistlePig Whiskey

Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.