Wolves First Run

Distilled in a rare Alambic pot still from Cognac, “First Run” by Wolves is a decadent and balanced blend of California whiskeys.  It is comprised of (1) whiskey distilled from craft Stout beer, aged in French Oak for 8 years, (2) whiskey distilled from craft Pilsner beer, aged in New American Oak for 5 years, and (3) a Rye selected for its spice to round out the back palate.

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The full blend is lightly filtered with the mineral rich water of Sonoma County. Each label is hand-wrapped and made of Italian sheepskin leather.  The glass is heavy and French-Cut, allowing the sheepskin to lay flush against the glass – a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing,’ so to speak. The cork top is made of maple wood.  Only 898 bottles were produced.

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Process:
The distillation process with an alambic still – mostly retired by the industry – is far less efficient than a column still, but the end result is whiskey with more body and richness. 13th generation Master Distiller, Marko Karakasevic, creates a small batch of distillate over a 10-day period, sleeping in four hour shifts. He personally decides where each cut is made and selects ‘the heart of hearts’ for double distillation.

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The Wolves team tested more than 50 different barrels and made 19 different blends before landing on a dangerously smooth 106 proof expression for its initial release.