WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII - Lapulapu’s Pacific
WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII — Lapulapu's Pacific is the eighth annual Boss Hog edition: a roughly 17-year-old straight rye whiskey, single barrel and barrel strength (widely cited at 104.8–106.6 proof; the exact proof of each bottle is printed on its own label), finished in high-toast casks that previously held single-island Philippine rum. Aged in new American oak, then double-finished in rum barrels from a single island southwest of Cebu — barrels that held rum for 7 and 10 years — and crowned with a handmade pewter pig topper depicting Lapulapu, the Filipino hero of the Battle of Mactan (1521). A 750mL bottle of "The One That Made It Around the World," non-chill filtered. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof / ABV: barrel strength — widely cited 104.8–106.6 proof (single barrel; exact proof on each bottle's label) — 750mL
- Age: ~17 years (single barrel, non-chill filtered)
- Finish: double finish in high-toast Philippine rum casks — single-island rum barrels aged 7 and 10 years
- Origin: WhistlePig Distillery, Shoreham, Vermont; rye stock distilled in Canada
- Recognition: 95 — VinePair; 91 — Whisky Advocate
The One That Made It Around the World
The Boss Hog series is WhistlePig's annual statement bottle — one barrel, one story. For the eighth edition, that story sails to the Philippines: the rum-finishing barrels' journey gives the whiskey its name, and the pewter topper honors Lapulapu's 1521 resistance at Mactan. It's the first and only Boss Hog finished in Philippine rum casks — a rye with two decades of patience behind it and a rum-barrel finish in front. See more from WhistlePig, including more rye whiskey at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Deep oak, baking spice, and a wave of tropical rum-barrel influence — brown sugar, dried fruit, and warm spice over the rye's peppery core, with a long, warming barrel-strength finish (reviewer consensus).
How to Enjoy
Neat, with water on the side — at barrel strength this is a sipper that opens dramatically with a few drops. This is a bottle to keep, too: the pewter Lapulapu topper is hand-made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proof of Boss Hog VIII?
There is no single fixed proof — it's a single-barrel, barrel-strength release, so proof varies by bottle (widely cited between 104.8 and 106.6). Your bottle's exact proof is printed on its label.
How old is it?
Approximately 17 years old, aged in new American oak before its double Philippine rum-cask finish.
What is Lapulapu's Pacific?
The edition's name honors Lapulapu, the Filipino hero of the Battle of Mactan in 1521 — and the rum barrels' own voyage from a Philippine island to Vermont.
A single barrel, seventeen years, and a rum-cask voyage — Boss Hog VIII Lapulapu's Pacific is in stock at Del Mesa Liquor; order online in San Diego, CA.
