Cinnamon syrup | Whiff of smoke | Oak | Toasted caramel | Light syrup soaked raisins | Red Hots candy | Stewed red fruits

Caramel | Chocolate frosting | Cinnamon spice | Raisins | Dark fruits | Faint jam | Juicy

Light rye spice | Chocolate malt | Dry oak | Stone fruits | Red berries

Old Potrero California Cellar Series is a nod to the shared heritage of whiskey and wine in the state of California. Master Distiller Bruce Joseph states, “Old Potrero has always been influenced by its home state’s exceptional wine – including in our choice of 24-month air-dried, extra-fine grain barrels, which we’ve used since the first batch was released. It was a natural evolution to bring our exceptional rye whiskey together with some of California’s finest wine producers to further influence the rich flavors of the spirit.”

Old Potrero California Cellar Series #002 was created by taking the company’s toasted barrel rye that has been aged for just shy of 6 years and finishing it Sonoma Portworks Petite Sirah Port barrels for 17 months. The company states that “these are the first two Old Potrero collaborations with California wineries, with more planned for the future. Additional collaborations with white wine and beer barrel finishes will launch in 2025 as part of Old Potrero’s Golden State program, celebrating and aligning the state’s original rye whiskey with other California producers.”

Raising the glass and inhaling reveals a balanced mix of scents that alternate between sweet and grounded. Cinnamon syrup leads the way with Red Hots candy, which provides additional spice notes, while raisins and stewed red fruits rest against oak and a whiff of smoke. The extended time the whiskey spent resting in the port barrels is noticeable at the midpoint, as a juicy combination of flavors is present in the form of dark fruits and jam. Other flavors join in, but it’s the juiciness of the sip that pulls through. The finish is average in length as stone fruits and red berries push against a dry oak note. While Old Potrero California Cellar Series #002 is a nice offering from Hotaling & Co, it will attract those who enjoy a heavy wine barrel finished pour due to its nearly one and a half years finishing in port barrels.