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Straight Edge Bourbon is new and limited edition bourbon finished in used Orin Swift Cellars Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvingon Barrels for 4 to 5 months. Straight Edge is from Splinter Group Spirits, a new spirits company based in Napa Valley founded by Orin Swift Wines Founder Dave Phinney and other investors. The Orin Swift Cellars collection is known to enthusiasts as some of the most forward-thinking and appreciated wines on the market including famous labels Prisoner, Papillon, Abstract and others.

Watch our video above as BourbonBlog.com‘s Tom Fischer reviews Straight Edge Bourbon with NW Chophouse & Wine Bar owner Nick Weisenborn.

At BourbonBlog.com we’ve reviewed and tasted a number of whiskeys and Bourbons finish used wine barrels; Straight Edge delivers one of the most complex to ever pass our palates. It is a balanced mouthful of flavor and silky mouthfeel with dried fruits and smoky campfire. Additionally, we taste hints of milk chocolate and beautiful elements from the Cabernet from rounded by a true barrel-forward whiskey flavor. Overall, it is evident that a great deal of thought went into selection of the whiskeys and the finishing of this bourbon.

Straight Edge’s suggested retail price is around $50 a bottle and well worth it. We recommend you look for a bottle, but it may be difficult to find one as only 1,800 six pack cases were produced in the first release. This total of 10,800 bottles were a sell-out within two weeks and only went into select accounts in the following states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Texas.

BourbonBlog.com‘s Tom Fischer spoke with Lauren Watters, General Manager for Splinter Group Spirits, about Straight Edge. Watters says thats Straight Edge is the first spirit to be released by their company. Splinter Group also plans for subsequent and larger release of Straight Edge this summer which is slated to be available in around 30 U.S. markets.

About the Bourbon and Finishing

The whiskey itself started as a blend of 5, 7 and 8-year-old bourbons hailing from Kentucky and Tennessee. While Watters couldn’t comment on specific distilleries where the bourbons were aged and distilled, the real magic happened once it arrived in California. After being finished for 4 to 5 months in used Mercury Head wine barrels, the bourbon was cut to 84 proof with water from Dave’s property from Alexander Valley. “At over 2,000 feet above sea level, these springs pump out clear and pristine water,” says Watters. (Mercury Head wine bottle pictured left).

“We wanted to create something different in the bourbon category. The bourbon is reflective of Dave Phinney and his style along with all of us and our background in wine. “

Future Whiskey Releases From Splinter Group

Watters said that Splinter Group Spirits plans to release a 5 to 8-year-old North American Whiskey which will be called “Slaughterhouse” around May 2015. They are currently experimenting with Mercury Head and other used wine barrels for the Slaughterhouse to find what works best.

Splinter Group says they also plan on releasing a Rye in 2016, which may also be finished in used wine barrels.

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