Evergreen | Gumdrops | Pine | Light vanilla | Terry’s Orange Chocolate Ball | Christmas in a glass

Light chinquapin syrup | Dull oak | White peppercorn | Chocolate malt | Building rye spice

Rye spice | Baking chocolate | Light baking spices | Malt | Lingering heat

Hotaling & Co., which is best known for their Old Potrero whiskey and ryes distilled from 100% malted rye mashbills, switches things up with the release of their Christmas Spirit whiskey. The company states that “This festive whiskey is an homage to San Francisco brewing and a celebration of pioneering spirits. Our distillers started with an iconic San Francisco Christmas Ale from 2011 and distilled it twice in copper pot stills before aging the spirit for over 12 years in once-used Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey barrels.” While Hotaling & Co. isn’t the first to redistill beer (see Charbay’s lineup, including Charbay R5 Lot No. 5), it is still very rare to see.

This whiskey is named appropriately, as it opens with an aroma that can best be described as Christmas in a glass due to its soirée of flavors. The midpoint starts mundane with notes of light chinquapin syrup and dull oak, until a few moments in when the Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey barrels come to life and highlight chocolate malt and a building rye spice. The finish tempers things down with more straightforward spices, malt, and chocolate notes until transitioning into a warm lingering heat that will keep you company for minutes on end.

This whiskey won’t be for everyone, due to its unique nature of a flavor profile. That said, whiskey and beer geeks, in particular, will be excited by this one-of-a-kind offering. Christmas Spirit is a limited release, with only 600 bottles being released. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing either as it lacks mass appeal while still delivering a sip that is intriguing to dissect and a roller coaster of a ride to experience.