WhistlePig PiggyBack 6 Year Old Rye Whiskey
WhistlePig PiggyBack 6 Year Old is a 750ml 100% rye whiskey at 96.56 proof (48.28% ABV) — and the oddly specific proof is the whole point. This was the final creation of legendary Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, who engineered PiggyBack from the ground up as the ultimate bartender's rye: six years in new American oak, and a proof he calculated as the sweet spot in the strength-sweet-bitter cocktail triangle.
The rye is pot-distilled from a 100% rye mash bill in Alberta, Canada, then aged and bottled at WhistlePig Farm in Shoreham, Vermont. The proof is a tribute to Pickerell's birth year, 1956, and the pig on the label wears his signature Stetson instead of the usual top hat — a detail worth looking for. In a Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or Sazerac, PiggyBack holds its spice against vermouth and bitters without overwhelming them; neat, it has the depth to stand on its own.
Tasting notes: Light amber; fresh cinnamon, black peppercorn, and grapefruit zest on the nose; a powerfully spicy palate of cocoa, cardamom, and cured leather over a clean rye core; a long finish of baking spice, vanilla, and citrus lift.
Frequently asked questions:
Why is it 96.56 proof? Dave Pickerell determined that exact strength was the optimal balance point for cocktails — and 96.56 nods to his birth year, 1956. It is deliberate, not random.
Who was Dave Pickerell? One of American whiskey's most celebrated master distillers — Maker's Mark's master distiller for 14 years and the creative force behind WhistlePig's rise. PiggyBack was his last creation before his passing in 2018.
PiggyBack rye vs. PiggyBack bourbon — what's the difference? The rye is 100% rye at 96.56 proof, built for spice; the bourbon is a high-corn mash bill at 100 proof. Both are six years old and both were Pickerell-era creations.
