Fathertime The Beloved Empty Nester Strength Precious Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Pre-Order
Fathertime The Beloved Empty Nester Strength Precious Batch Bourbon Whiskey is the cask-strength expression of The Beloved, the sixth release from comedian Jim Gaffigan's Fathertime Bourbon — a limited-run Kentucky straight bourbon bottled undiluted at its natural cask strength of 120.4 proof (60.2% ABV) in a 750mL bottle, from barrels Gaffigan personally hand-selected. Every 750mL bottle is hand-signed by Jim Gaffigan, and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Precious Batch, Cask Strength
- Proof: 120.4 (60.2% ABV) — natural cask strength, no dilution
- Size: 750mL
- Origin: Distilled in Kentucky; bottled by Fathertime Bourbon, LLC in Bardstown, Kentucky
- Selection: Barrels hand-selected by Jim Gaffigan — the same barrels as The Beloved Precious Batch, bottled at full strength
- Signed: Every 750mL bottle personally hand-signed by Jim Gaffigan
- Release: The Beloved, Fall 2026 — the sixth Fathertime release; a very limited Precious Batch run
The Story
Fathertime Bourbon is the passion project of Jim Gaffigan and his college friend Stu Pollard — no big spirits corporation behind it, just two bourbon lovers building each release around a stage of fatherhood: Firstborn, Second Child Syndrome, The Middle Child Mystery, Fourth & Long, The Caboose, and now The Beloved. "Empty Nester Strength" is Fathertime's name for the uncut version: the same hand-selected barrels as the regular release, bottled at their natural cask strength with no proofing down — the bourbon exactly as it came out of the barrel, the way the kids leaving the house finally lets you drink it. The Beloved itself is named for a word most of us only hear in obituaries — "a beloved father" — and Gaffigan's message is not to wait until it is too late to tell the people in your life they are beloved. Don't save this bottle forever; share it.
The Empty Nester Strength expressions are the collector's pick of every Fathertime release, and they have the medals to show for it — The Caboose Empty Nester Strength won Double Gold and Best New Bourbon at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Precious Batch means a very limited number of bottles, and previous releases have all sold out.
Tasting Notes
Everything the 92.4-proof Precious Batch offers, turned all the way up: deep caramel, dark cherry, and toasted vanilla layered over heavy oak char, with a long, warming finish of cinnamon, cocoa, and brown sugar. Bolder, richer, and more concentrated in every sip.
How to Enjoy
Start neat in a Glencairn to get the full cask-strength intensity, then add a few drops of water or a single large cube to open up the darker fruit and spice. Explore more full-proof and limited releases in our Bourbon Whiskey and Whisky collections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Beloved Empty Nester Strength really hand-signed by Jim Gaffigan?
Yes. Every full-size 750mL bottle is personally hand-signed by Jim Gaffigan.
Is The Beloved a limited edition?
Yes — Precious Batch means a very limited number of bottles from hand-selected barrels, and every previous Fathertime release, including the Empty Nester Strength expressions, has sold out.
What does "Empty Nester Strength" mean?
It is the same hand-selected bourbon as The Beloved Precious Batch, bottled at its natural cask strength — 120.4 proof — with no water added to proof it down.
What is the difference between Empty Nester Strength and the regular Precious Batch?
Same barrels, two strengths: 92.4 proof for the Precious Batch, and the undiluted 120.4-proof cask strength here — bolder, richer, and more intense.
Who makes Fathertime Bourbon?
Jim Gaffigan and Stu Pollard. The bourbon is distilled in Kentucky and bottled by Fathertime Bourbon, LLC in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Order Fathertime The Beloved Empty Nester Strength Bourbon Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego — hand-signed, cask strength, and strictly limited.