WhistlePig launches zero-ABV cannabis-infused cocktail
Vermont distillery WhistlePig has released a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktail for Dry January, created with non-psychoactive cannabis terpenes.
The bottled cocktail is based on the brand's signature Barrel Aged Maple Old Fashioned recipe, and is made with WhistlePig’s PiggyBack Devil's Slide 100% Rye Non-Whiskey, barrel-aged maple syrup and Vermont cannabis terpenes that were cultivated in whiskey barrels. The brand says the terpenes give the cocktail a ‘hazy aroma’ and ‘toasty mouthful’. “At the intersection of non-alc and cannabis trends, terpenes offer a new frontier for flavour that we couldn’t resist experimenting with,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig’s head blender. “The results are fire, with terpenes adding aromas and mouthfeel that are often missing from non-alc innovation.” She added: “Whether you’re still walking the hog, enjoying the electric lettuce, or abstaining altogether, WhistlePig fans do not have to miss out on a great tasting Old Fashioned this January.” A 750ml bottle of the Dank & Dry Old Fashioned Cocktail retails for US$49.99. The ‘Hox Box Bundle’ costs US$64.20 and includes a pig-shaped cocktail smoker and a bag of cocktail smoking chips. Both are available on the WhistlePig website. In addition, 100% of the proceeds from sales will go to bartenders through New Orleans-based non-profit Turning Tables, whose vision is to ‘cultivate leadership, create real opportunity and change the face of hospitality by establishing a model and standard for equitable access for the Black and Brown hospitality community of New Orleans’. The distillery is known for its ambitious and adventurous whiskey releases. Last year it unveiled a farm-to-bottle wheat whiskey, said to be the distiller’s rarest release, as well as another expression that was trialled in Alfa Romeo Formula 1 Team Stake’s wind tunnel. With more and more brands getting involved in Dry January, we looked at 10 of the best initiatives happening around the world.