Don’t Be Fooled by the Name—This Limited Edition is No Lightweight

PARK CITY, Utah (March 17, 2016) — Come see the light! High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, releases a limited edition 14-Year Light Whiskey. Beginning March 19, this special bottling is available exclusively to visitors at the High West Distillery at Blue Sky Ranch, followed by a roll out at the High West Saloon & Distillery in historic Old Town Park City on April 16.

“At High West, we believe education leads to appreciation so we wanted to shed some light on this rarely discussed type of whiskey,” says High West founder David Perkins. “This is a spirit that’s not likely to be available again for a long time.”

Light whiskey denotes a grain spirit that’s been distilled at a higher proof than a straight whiskey — between 80-95% alcohol by volume (ABV) versus less than 80% ABV respectively. It’s typically used as a component in about 95% of the world’s blended whiskeys. In the U.K., what they call grain whiskey is essentially the same thing as light whiskey.

“This whiskey was distilled at a higher proof on the still, which reduces the heaviness of the flavors, and reveals more floral and fruit subtleties,” said High West master distiller Brendan Coyle. “It was aged in used barrels, as opposed to first-use charred barrels, which lends more elegant complexities with a spirit-forward character.”

High West discovered 100 stunning barrels of light whiskey at MGP made from corn that was distilled between 1999 and 2001, aged in second-fill barrels. That wood aging imparted a traditionally light spirit with lovely vanilla and white chocolate notes, and an intriguing Concord grape overlay—to anything but typical results.

High West encourages you to indulge in this special offering all on its own—neat, with a touch of water, or on the rocks. The 14-Year Light Whiskey will retail for $99.95.

About High West

Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, High West’s passion is crafting delicious and distinctive whiskeys and helping people appreciate whiskey all in the context of our home, the American West. High West offers an outstanding collection of highly rated whiskeys in finer liquor stores, bars, and restaurants in 49 states throughout the U.S. and internationally.

High West has three must-visit locations. Our High West Saloon in historic Old Town Park City is the world’s only ski-in gastro distillery that was voted “Best Park City Restaurant” by readers of City Weekly. It has received multiple accolades including a nomination for Best Bar by the James Beard Foundation, and a top-10 ranking on The Daily Meal’s list of 150 Best Bars in America. Our High West Saloon in Terminal E at Salt Lake International Airport offers the best food and drinks in any airport west of the Mississippi. Finally, High West Distillery on Blue Sky Ranch in Wanship, Utah is a 30,000 square foot world-class distillery and visitor center featuring educational tours and High West’s unique country-western cuisine. Blue Sky is an historic working cattle ranch. Both Blue Sky and High West aim to build a landmark Western destination and resort offering an authentic and premium western experience. For more information and where to buy High West products near you, visit highwest.com.

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