To find out, Wheatley selected two different types of hops common in beer-making — Saaz noble hops, a European variety common in Bohemian beers, and the American Zythos hops, which are known for their tropical flavor profile — and infused them into raw rye bourbon whiskey distillate for 30 minutes.
This hop-infused distillate was then redistilled and aged in charred white oak casks for 11 years and seven months before being diluted to 90 proof and bottled as the 26th entry in the Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection.
So what does a hoppy whiskey-like spirit taste like? Well, I haven’t tried it myself, but we can get a pretty good idea based on the distillery’s tasting notes.
Thanks to the eleven-plus years of aging, the hop aroma and hop flavors are evident while providing a balanced bitterness that blends well with the spirit’s oaky whiskey character
Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace says the spirit has an especially hoppy nose with citrus and herbal notes like you’ll find in certain beers, along with the vanilla and oak scents typical of an aged whiskey.
On the palate, the liquid is said to be citrus-heavy with herbal and oak undertones, while the finish is clean and crisp. Honestly, this sounds more beer-like than anything to me, so I’d be curious to experience this one firsthand.