Catoctin Creek Ragnarok Rye Whiskey Collaboration with GWAR Batch 2022
Catoctin Creek Ragnarok Rye Whiskey — the 2022 batch of the annual collaboration with the metal band GWAR — is a 92-proof (46% ABV), 750mL pot-distilled rye whiskey aged in charred new white oak and finished in sugar maple and cherrywood, rated 93 points by Wine Enthusiast. Only 1,000 cases of the 2022 release were produced, with label artwork matching GWAR's album The New Dark Ages. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: charred new white oak, finished in sugar maple and cherrywood
- Origin: Catoctin Creek Distilling Co., Purcellville, Virginia
- Batch: 2022 release, second annual — 1,000 cases produced
- Rating: 93 points, Wine Enthusiast
When Rye Whiskey Goes Full Metal
Since 2021, Catoctin Creek founder Scott Harris has co-produced an annual rye with GWAR, the legendary Richmond metal band — and Ragnarok plays the collaboration completely straight while winking at the band's alien-comet mythology (the marketing copy mentions Antarctic ice and moon-orbited barrels, which we take in the spirit intended). The whiskey underneath the theater is serious: pot-distilled rye, charred new oak, then a finish in sugar maple and cherrywood that layers warm, sweet wood over the rye spice. The 2022 bottling ties in with GWAR's The New Dark Ages album art, and up to 100 five-packs shipped with collectible die-cast toppers of all five band members. For rye whiskey fans and collectors alike, it's a bottle that drinks as well as it displays.
Tasting Notes
Bold rye spice — cinnamon, clove, black pepper — over a maple-sweet wood foundation from the finishing casks. The palate is full and chewy with cherrywood warmth, dried fruit, and toasted sugar; the finish runs long with rye heat and sweet oak. The 92-point Wine Enthusiast score shows through.
How to Enjoy
Neat or with a single large cube — the maple/cherrywood finish shines unmixed. It also makes a monstrous Manhattan. Pair with smoked meats or dark chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this really made with GWAR?
Yes — it's an annual co-production with the band since 2021; the 2022 batch is the second release.
How many bottles were made?
1,000 cases of the 2022 release — a genuinely limited annual bottling.
What does the sugar maple/cherrywood finish add?
Warm, sweet wood character — maple and cherrywood layers over the rye's natural spice.
Browse more Catoctin Creek Virginia whiskies and our full rye whiskey collection. Annual GWAR batches sell out — grab the 2022 Ragnarok online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.