Wolves The Malted Barley Series Single Malt Whiskey Lot One
Wolves The Malted Barley Series Single Malt Whiskey Lot One is the California luxury brand's first American single malt — a 110 proof (55% ABV) 750mL whiskey distilled in 2015 by 13th-generation master distiller Marko Karakasevic at Charbay Distillery in California and built from a blend of eleven barrels of 100% two-row pale malted barley. Fermented with California Ale yeast, double-distilled with heart-of-hearts cuts in a small alembic pot still, and rested under alternating Hungarian and American oak heads, it arrives hand-numbered in a hand-sheepskin-wrapped bottle. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: 110 proof (55% ABV) — 750mL
- Style: American single malt whiskey, 11-barrel blend (Lot One)
- Mash bill: 100% two-row pale malted barley, California Ale yeast
- Distillery: Charbay Distillery, California — distilled by Marko Karakasevic, 2015; alembic pot still imported from Cognac (1983)
- Packaging: hand-numbered bottle, laser-cut embossed sheepskin wrap, heavy French-cut glass
The Luxury Brand's Single Malt Debut
Wolves was founded by Undefeated co-founder James Bond and fashion entrepreneur Jon Buscemi as a California luxury whiskey house, and the Malted Barley Series Lot One — released April 2023 — was its first foray into the American single malt category. CEO Jeremy Joseph called it possibly the richest and most complex American single malt ever produced, and the liquid backs the claim: an eight-years-in-barrel California malt made with cognac-still precision and Charbay pedigree, not a sourced commodity bottled at luxury prices. Explore more American whiskey or browse the full Wolves collection at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The brand's own notes open with honey, grapefruit, vanilla, oak, and sandalwood on the nose; the palate runs maple syrup, currants, leather, orange cake, and warm vanilla; and the finish is medium-length and consistent front to back. Independent reviewers found a thick, oily texture with malty spice, dried fruits, honey, and dark chocolate over lingering oak.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn at 110 proof — this is a contemplative malt built for slow sipping. A few drops of water open the grapefruit and honey; save the ice for a second pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Wolves Malted Barley Lot One?
It was distilled in 2015 and released in 2023, but the label carries no age statement — only the 11-barrel blend at 110 proof.
Who distilled it?
Marko Karakasevic, the 13th-generation master distiller of Charbay Distillery in California, in a small alembic pot still imported from Cognac, France in 1983.
Is it the same as the single-barrel Lot One?
No — a separate 228-bottle single-barrel release (barrel #574) was bottled at 125 proof; the retail Lot One is the 11-barrel blend at 110 proof.
California single malt at its most luxurious — add Wolves Malted Barley Lot One to your Del Mesa Liquor order in San Diego, CA.